Legislative Update

The state legislature finished year one of its two-year legislative session on September 14 2001. Senate bill 371, our bill to provide collective bargaining rights to interpreters through employee status will remain pending and be taken up by the legislature again this coming January. BACI and CFI will take advantage of the intervening months to build upon the support of the almost 800 certified and registered court interpreters whose call for representation and collective bargaining was the impetus for the bill's introduction. We spent this past year in a series of meetings with the Judicial Council in Sacramento. The JC told legislators it was open to creating an employment system that responds to interpreters' needs, but their input and actions seemed directed more toward obfuscation and delays. For meeting participants the process was reminiscent of meetings held over a two-year period when interpreters sought rate increases in 1997-98, "The Judicial Council has been long on talk, but we expect little movement in our direction without pressure from the interpreter community and the legislature" said CFI president Uri Yaval.

In recent weeks CFI and BACI, together with our legislative advocates concluded that the meeting process has reached an impasse. The meetings were useful however, as an opportunity to evaluate the Judicial Council's positions on the issues. Additionally our advocates in Sacramento have gained a more thorough appreciation of interpreters' issues and needs. We will now move on with our legislative representatives to create an employment system that gives interpreters an equal voice in our profession. The bill's current intent language is a placeholder in the legislative process and the bill will be amended again when the session resumes in January. "Our goal is not simply to pass a bill, but to pass a bill that will serve interpreters well in the long term." says BACI Chair Paz Perry.

The fundamental goals for an employment system remain the same. CFI and BACI will fight for a system that gives interpreters: 1) the right to negotiate as equals with the courts; 2) unity and leverage to negotiate; 3) flexibility and improved conditions. Success with SB371 and in bargaining will depend on the active support of interpreters who are ready to claim the pay and conditions we deserve.