Call Center Workers Walk Off Job In Protest About McCain Script Attacking Obama

[caesu]

Dozens Of Call Center Workers Walk Off Job In Protest Rather Than Read McCain Script Attacking Obama

By Greg Sargent - October 27, 2008, 5:18PM

Some three dozen workers at a telemarketing call center in Indiana walked off the job rather than read an incendiary McCain campaign script attacking Barack Obama, according to two workers at the center and one of their parents.

Nina Williams, a stay-at-home mom in Lake County, Indiana, tells us that her daughter recently called her from her job at the center, upset that she had been asked to read a script attacking Obama for being "dangerously weak on crime," "coddling criminals," and for voting against "protecting children from danger."

Williams' daughter told her that up to 40 of her co-workers had refused to read the script, and had left the call center after supervisors told them that they would have to either read the call or leave, Williams says. The call center is called Americall, and it's located in Hobart, IN.

"They walked out," Williams says of her daughter and her co-workers, adding that they weren't fired but willingly sacrificed pay rather than read the lines. "They were told [by supervisors], `If you all leave, you're not gonna get paid for the rest of the day."

The daughter, who wanted her name withheld fearing retribution from her employer, confirmed the story to us. "It was like at least 40 people," the daughter said. "People thought the script was nasty and they didn't wanna read it."

A second worker at the call center confirmed the episode, saying that "at least 30" workers had walked out after refusing to read the script.

"We were asked to read something saying [Obama and Democrats] were against protecting children from danger," this worker said. "I wouldn't do it. A lot of people left. They thought it was disgusting."

This worker, too, confirmed sacrificing pay to walk out, saying her supervisor told her: "If you don't wanna phone it you can just go home for the day."

The script coincided with this robo-slime call running in other states, but because robocalling is illegal in Indiana it was being read by call center workers.

Representatives at Americall in Indiana, and at the company's corporate headquarters in Naperville, Illinois, didn't return calls for comment.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/dozens_of_call_center_workers.php

good for them.
better leave that sinking ship before the attacks get too desperate and violate all decent morals.

[Slogger]

Can you provide a transcript of the supposed message?

It would be important to check the verbatim message against the known data.

[crazybabyborg]

I've been looking for information on this and everything I can find refers exclusively back to the TPM article. Now, it may break loose and be on every major network, but for now, I can't find it verified in MSM anywhere. I, too, would like to see transcript.

[caesu]

i also haven't read it anywhere else.

but i am not too surprised that they walked off.
some of these robocalls are pretty sickening.

imagine if your child would pick up the phone.
could be quite damaging if he or she heard a message linking the future President with babykillers or terrorists.

i am quite astonished how downright dirty this campaign has gotten with those robocall, mailers and TV ads.
somewhat surprised the FCC doesn't step in to order warnings to be shown before such hate inciting ads.

but if something completely natural and peaceful like a human nipple is shown on TV, there is so much outrage.
at the same time murder and violence is shown without problem.

[crazybabyborg]

i also haven't read it anywhere else.

but i am not too surprised that they walked off.
some of these robocalls are pretty sickening.

imagine if your child would pick up the phone.
could be quite damaging if he or she heard a message linking the future President with babykillers or terrorists.

i am quite astonished how downright dirty this campaign has gotten with those robocall, mailers and TV ads.
somewhat surprised the FCC doesn't step in to order warnings to be shown before such hate inciting ads.

but if something completely natural and peaceful like a human nipple is shown on TV, there is so much outrage.
at the same time murder and violence is shown without problem.

I can't comment until I see the script, but I do find it odd that this hasn't been widely reported. I could be dead wrong, but I would guess that the meat of the story isn't particulary juicy, else the media would be all over it. Dozens of people who were indignant enough to walk out, would provide a wealth of opportunity for comment.