NCL raises concern about potential Kennedy vaccine appointment – National Consumers League

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January 13, 2017

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—The nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization is today sounding the alarm bells about news that President-elect Trump might be considering anti-vaccination charlatan Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to chair either a vaccine safety or autism commission. The National Consumers League (NCL) says the appointment would be a step backwards for public health, giving those who oppose vaccines another platform to spout the discredited notion of a causal link between vaccines and autism.   

“Let’s be clear,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg, “The scientific consensus is overwhelming: vaccines don’t cause autism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and dozens of peer-reviewed studies have all said that there’s no connection. Indeed, the one so-called study that tried to assert the connection was found to be fraudulent and thoroughly debunked.,” said Greenberg. “Appointing someone like Kennedy – a purveyor of junk science with no medical training – is dangerous to the public’s health and must be denounced by all responsible voices.”

Unfortunately, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, public doubts about vaccine safety remain. In fact, NCL’s vaccine perception study found 33 percent of survey respondents think vaccinations can cause autism. In addition, while most survey respondents (87 percent) say they support mandatory vaccination of school-aged children in theory, 64 percent of adults say parents should have the final say whether or not to vaccinate.

The following statement may be attributed to Greenberg:

“The reason behind these vaccine doubters is likely that the current generation of parents has never experienced the panic—and often heartbreak—caused by outbreaks of diphtheria, polio, small pox, tetanus and influenza that earlier generations of parents suffered before vaccines were developed. . They have lost perspective on how serious – and deadly – these diseases can be. As a result, those parents abstaining from having their children vaccinated are enabling deadly illnesses to return. And threatening everyone’s health.

“As the Trump Administration comes into the White House, the public health community must come together to reject junk science and demand that accurate, life-saving information about vaccines be widely disseminated. Let us never return to those dark days of fatal – and completely preventable – disease outbreaks and thank modern medicine for developing vaccinations that enable all of us – especially children – to lead long, healthy, and happy lives.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National Consumers League statement on distribution of settlement funds to Herbalife distributors – National Consumers League

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January 11, 2017

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), America’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization, today applauded the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) disbursal of compensation to hundreds of thousands of consumers who lost money due to unfair and deceptive actions by multi-level marketing company Herbalife. NCL was the first consumer group in the nation to call on the FTC to investigate allegation of pyramid scheme behavior at Herbalife. The following statement is attributable to John Breyault, NCL’s vice president of public policy, telecommunications, and fraud: 

“We applaud the FTC for ensuring that victims of Herbalife’s fraudulent activities will receive some restitution for their losses.  This action is yet another sign that, despite statements to the contrary, it is no longer business as usual for the direct selling industry. We strongly urge the FTC and state regulators to hold Herbalife’s and the entire direct selling industry’s feet to the fire to ensure that consumers are protected from pyramid scheme behavior.” 

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National consumer group sounding alarm about anti-union laws being fast-tracked through Kentucky – National Consumers League

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January 6, 2017

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, is criticizing proposals being fast-tracked in the Kentucky legislature that undercut the rights of working women and men, with two bills targeting the ability of labor unions to represent the interests of workers gaining Republican support. Since its founding in 1899, NCL nationally and on the state level has supported rights and protections for workers. NCL’s leaders drafted America’s first maximum hours, minimum wage, and child labor abolition laws in the first two decades of the 20th Century. The national organization has staff living and working in the state of Kentucky.

“Might doesn’t make right,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director. “Because Republicans have super majorities in both chambers, they are targeting working people who want nothing more than the ability to bargain on a level playing field for decent wages, benefits, and a safe work environment.”

The bills approved in Kentucky by a House committee would ban mandatory union membership as a condition of employment, and would not allow employers to deduct union dues from workers’ paychecks without written permission, but would still require the union to represent the interests of those employees who refuse to pay dues. The bills would also forbid public employees from going on strike and repeal Kentucky’s prevailing-wage law, which guarantees higher wages for workers on construction projects paid for with public money. Workers represented by unions earn better wages and benefits and have more workplace protections than those who don’t have a union representing them. 

Kentucky’s Republican House Speaker Jeff Hoover said the legislature will likely hold a rare Saturday session tomorrow so it can deliver the bills to Gov. Matt Bevin’s desk before taking a three-week recess.

Earlier this week, workers crammed into hallways at the Statehouse, but most were not allowed into the public hearing because the pro-business and anti-union group, Americans for Prosperity, reserved the committee room, effectively freezing out the union representatives. Many new members of the legislature do not have phones set up yet, so there is little opportunity for the public to voice their opinion on the measures, which may move to the governor’s desk for signature during a special legislative session on Saturday.

“This is a sad development for working families in Kentucky,” said Greenberg.

According to reports, Gov. Bevin welcomed the legislature’s anti-union actions. A strong supporter of President-Elect Donald Trump during the campaign, Bevin called for bloodshed in the streets if Mr. Trump were to lose the election in a September 2016 speech, according to the New York Times.

Kentucky is the last state in the South that has not banned mandatory union membership as a condition of employment.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Consumer Fraud Alert: Tax ID theft season opens this month; Free IRS tax preparation services can help consumers reduce their risk and save money – National Consumers League

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January 4, 2017

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—The nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization is today issuing a warning for consumers about identity thieves filing fraudulent claims in order to steal legitimate taxpayer refunds, as well as a new change in tax law going into effect this year that may give scammers a new angle for preying on tax-filing victims. 

From 2011-2014, identity thieves claimed $23 billion in fraudulent tax refunds—money diverted from legitimate taxpayers by criminals. In 2015, thieves used fraudulent tax and wage information to defraud nearly a quarter million of Americans, making this kind of identity fraud the fastest-growing type of identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

According to the National Consumers League (NCL), which operates Fraud.org, tax ID fraud occurs when a scammer files a tax return using someone else’s personal information and then illegally collects the victims’ tax refunds. Filing a false tax return requires that a criminal have access to a victim’s name, Social Security number, date of birth, and a falsified W-2 form. Victims often only find out they’ve been defrauded after they try to file their own legitimate tax return and receive a letter from the IRS stating that someone else already filed in their name.

“The IRS has been fighting this scam for years and they’ve been able to significantly—but not completely—reduce the amount of fraud committed. And this year, thanks to a new law, the IRS will have more time to detect scammers and prevent fraudulent checks from ever being mailed. However, these added security measures will cause a delay in some consumers receiving their refunds,” said John Breyault, NCL vice president, public policy, telecommunications and fraud. “Fortunately, there are free resources available in both consumers’ communities and online that can help them prepare their taxes safely and securely and reduce the risk of tax identity fraud.” 

At Fraud.org, the new alert offers several steps consumers can take that may help reduce the risk of tax ID fraud, save money on tax preparation, and prevent filing errors on returns.

  1. File early. Filing early in the tax season is the easiest way to reduce the risk of an identity thief beating you to it, and stealing your refund. The sooner you file, the better. Starting January 23, 2017, the IRS will begin accepting federal tax return filings. Waiting until closer to this year’s deadline (April 18) to file gives identity thieves more time to file a return in your name, receive your refund, and take your check to the bank.
  2. Get educated about the law. A new law called the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act requires the IRS to hold refund checks until February 15 for consumers who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). While you may have to wait a bit longer to get your refund check this year, the delay will help the IRS identify and stop more tax fraud. Beware of tax preparation companies who claim to be able to get you your refund sooner than February 15. Tax preparers who promise this will almost certainly be giving you a high-interest loan that will eat into your refund.
  3. Check with IRS on the status of your refund. Due to weekends and the President’s Day holiday, some consumers who claim the EITC or ACTC may not get their refunds in their bank accounts until the week of February 27. To check the status of your refund, visit the IRS’s Where’s My Refund? website ‎or take advantage of the IRS2Go smartphone app.
  4. Take advantage of free tax preparation help. For those who generally make $54,000 or less, you may qualify for free tax help. Skip the high-cost tax preparation outfits and, instead, take advantage of free tax preparation assistance from Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs in your community. VITA programs are staffed by IRS-certified volunteers who can help you navigate this year’s delay and prepare accurate returns safely and securely. For more information and to find a local VITA site, click here.
  5. Use Free File to e-file. Consumers who make up to $64,000 per year qualify for the IRS’s Free File program, which allows the use of free, name-brand tax filing software from some of the biggest names in the tax prep business. For more information, click here.

At Fraud.org, NCL also resources and advice for those who may have fallen victim to tax identity fraud. To read the alert and learn more about the EITC and ACTC delay, click here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

 

National Consumers League statement on one billion record Yahoo! data breach – National Consumers League

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December 16, 2017

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) today condemned Yahoo! Inc. for putting its profits ahead of the security its users’ data. The latest data breach of one billion users’ accounts — quite possibly the largest on record — comes on the heels of an earlier breach that affected a reported 500 million users, itself a record at the time it was disclosed. The following statement is attributable to John Breyault, National Consumers League Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud:

“We have reached a tipping point in our long national debate about data security. For too long, policymakers have stood on the sidelines while data breaches have grown bigger and more damaging for consumers. While details are still emerging about who exactly was behind this latest breach, it is clear that Yahoo gave short shrift to the security of consumers’ personal data in their quest for profits. In the near term, the Federal Trade Commission should immediately begin an investigation of Yahoo’s lax data security practices. In the next Congress, lawmakers must recognize the incredible harm these breaches have wrought on consumers’ data security and the need for comprehensive data security legislation.”

Consumers affected by the Yahoo! Breach should visit NCL’s feature on Yahoo! in the “Latest Breaches” section of Fraud.org to get additional information about the incident and tips on how to reduce their risk of breach-related fraud.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

D.C. airport workers deserve living wage amidst strike – National Consumers League

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December 15, 2016

The National Consumers League (NCL) supports the airport workers who are striking for better wages and benefits at Reagan National and Dulles Airports. Many airport employees who work for contractors are excluded from the airport’s living wage laws and earn as little as $3.77 an hour, plus tips. “It’s outrageous that workers in the United States can be paid these poverty wages,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL’s executive director. “The contractor that hires many of these striking workers, Huntleigh Corporation, shouldn’t be able to skirt the law.”

NCL applauds Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring for supporting the workers and the other activists who are fighting to ensure that contractors pay their workers $15 an hour. Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority unfortunately did not act in time to ensure these workers would get a living wage for the holidays. “Many of the companies that operate inside and outside airports charge very high prices for their products and services. The profits made from the privilege of getting to operate at U.S. airports must be shared with the workers. The current system, including allowing contractors to pay poverty wages, is unacceptable,” said Greenberg.

NCL calls on Congress to pass miner pension bill – National Consumers League

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December 9, 2016

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League, the nation’s pioneering consumers’ and workers’ rights advocacy organization, today urged the Senate to pass the Miners Protection Act, a bipartisan bill backed by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Shelley Capito (R-WV), and Joe Manchin (D-WV), that would transfer excess money from the Abandoned Mine Land fund—a coal mine clean-up program—to the 1974 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Pension Plan.

The UMWA plan has a special guarantee from the federal government—secured in 1946 with then-President Harry Truman’s administration, which helps negotiate a contract with mine workers. But this bill will close a gap in benefits that was caused by a number of factors, including the recession of 2008.

The following quote can be attributed to NCL’s Executive Director Sally Greenberg:

“Coal miners under this federal agreement risk their health and safety, because the nation needs energy. In exchange, they were promised health insurance and pension benefits. The U.S. must not renege on that promise and should pass this bill. The Senate majority leader must give the green light. So far he has been unwilling to do so. We hope this changes because these patriotic coal miners worked hard for their country and have earned these benefits.“

“The plan has too few assets, too few employers, and too few union workers now paying in. If Congress fails to act, thousands of retired miners would lose their health care this year and the entire plan could fail as early as next year. Supporters of the bill did secure a promise that the miners’ legislation would get a vote in the Senate Finance Committee. We urge all members of that Committee and the full Senate to support the Miners Protection Act.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

The people have spoken: Let’s rebuild our nation’s consumer friendly infrastructure – National Consumers League

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byoung-92.jpgWhile many people are questioning what the election results mean for our country, one thing is certain: Americans are demanding more public transportation funding. Thirty-three out of 48 public transit ballot measures were approved, meaning voters voluntarily agreed to pay more taxes or authorized their state and local municipalities to borrow money to improve their infrastructure. The bottom line is that voters who had the opportunity to vote for increased public transit options overwhelmingly chose to do so.

To transportation policy wonks, this does not come as a shock. Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) releases a report card that assess the condition of everything from our bridges and roads, to our rail and transit systems. The most recent report card gave the U.S. a D+ average, in large part due to the chronic underinvestment in infrastructure which is hurting the pocket books of consumers. The ASCE estimates that consumers will need to fork out an extra $3,400 per year, or $9 per day, in needless auto repairs due to pothole damage and the increased delivery costs carriers are forced to pass onto consumers due to added vehicle maintenance costs, and traffic congestion.

Additionally, Americans are also having their valuable time wasted as they spend countless hours in traffic or grappling with a crumbling public transportation system. The 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard estimates that consumers wasted an average of 42 hours sitting in traffic, with many urban locations like Washington, DC, wasting nearly double that commuting in outdated and inefficient infrastructure. Experts predict that the waiting game commuters are forced to confront each day will only worsen if our leaders continue to neglect making the necessary investments. Some analysts believe that by 2020, the amount of time Americans waste stuck in traffic will grow from 42 hours to 47 hours.

Unfortunately, the effects of chronic underinvestment in transportation infrastructure do not stop there. The lives of consumers are also being put at risk. In 2014, 4,884 pedestrians died and 65,000 were injured in traffic accidents. Many of these accidents could have been prevented with proper pedestrian infrastructure. In that same year, 726 bicyclists died and an additional 50,000 were injured; as with the pedestrians, many of these bicyclists could have had their lives saved had proper bike-friendly infrastructure been in place.   

With all of the financial, safety, and time benefits associated with improving our transportation infrastructure, it is not surprising that 70 percent of Americans want more funding to go to public infrastructure. Additionally, the Rockefeller Foundation found that 47 percent of millennials would happily give up their cars if their city had an efficient public transportation system. In spite of these encouraging trends in public opinion, local, state, and federal governments remain hesitant to provide the critical funding to maintain our infrastructure or increase public transportation options.

Investing in infrastructure will create jobs and in turn, save consumers time and money. If we fail to take action however, the infrastructure crisis will only continue to worsen. Fortunately, in the last election cycle, not only did voters choose to support public transportation funding but, both parties—including President-Elect Trump—promised a big investment in public infrastructure. It is now time for Washington to get to work and deliver on these promises. Consumers need smart investments to be made in maintaining our current roads and bridges, as well as a heavy expansion in public transportation and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

The dark side of 2016 holiday gift-giving – National Consumers League

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This blog post was originally published in the Huffington Post.

Holiday shopping season is already well underway. In fact, if you haven’t started putting your credit cards to use and checking gifts for loved ones off your lists, you might feel behind already. This year, Christmas-gift-purchasing Americans said they expected to spend an average of $831, according to Gallup—no small expense for most of us. And nearly one in three of us expects to spend $1,000 or more on Christmas gifts this year. But there’s a dark side to the enthusiastic holiday gift-buying…

 

… and giving that a majority of us doesn’t realize: many of the gifts we purchase to wear, eat, or use on a daily basis are made by the tiny hands of exploited child laborers aged anywhere from four to 17.

On six continents, in more than 70 countries, child labor contributes to the production of more than 130 categories of products—many of which will sit wrapped in foil and ribbon under American Christmas trees later this month.

Popular products that are gifted during the holidays such as diamonds, electronics, gold, and leather are produced by child labor in dozens of countries under some of the harshest conditions. Around the world more than a million children are toiling in dangerous mines producing metals like gold and tin and lesser known minerals like cobalt and tantalum that end up in our cell phones and other electronic gear. Children also work with caustic chemicals in leather tanneries—another dangerous job.

In addition to those expensive gifts, food products such as coffee, hazelnuts, and sugar cane are items that end up in classic American holiday treats like the gingerbread cookies and flavored lattes that we treasure with friends and family this time of year.

Today, an estimated 168 million children around the world are trapped in child labor, with about half working in hazardous conditions, performing back-breaking work, in dangerous heat, with insufficient protections, inadequate breaks, and lacking the physical abilities to meet the demands of work that is truly meant for adults.

Recently, the Child Labor Coalition developed the “ABC’s of Child Labor,” a short film narrated by children that explores how alarmingly widespread child labor is globally. In the brief film, four American elementary school kids go through the products—from A to Z—that are still today touched by child labor. You would be shocked to learn that, in this day and age, so many industries are still dependent on the ugliest forms of labor, that which preys on children who shouldn’t be considered eligible to perform it.

Unlike the four young narrators of the film, millions of children around the world will never have access to the education needed to become successful, prosperous, healthy adults. Instead, they spend their childhood stuck mining diamonds for tennis bracelets or harvesting cocoa for our Christmas Eve hot chocolates, robbed of that opportunity. We urge you to watch the film and to help us educate the public about the prevalence of child labor by sharing it with your friends.

America’s holiday traditions are often our most extravagant, excessive celebrations—which we look forward to, revel in, and remember fondly. But against the backdrop of the plight of young, exploited workers toiling in production of the overpriced bobbles and gadgets we lavish on each other this time of year, these gifts carry a very dark side.

We must not turn our backs from this reality, as hard as it is to face in light of the consumerism many of us embrace this time of year. If the fact that children are involved in the production of the goods you buy—in 2016—bothers you, you can do something about it. You can support the groups, like the Child Labor Coalition or its members, who fight every day to eradicate child labor in the U.S. and abroad. You can also download the Sweat and Toil smartphone app from the Department of Labor, and use it to research which products are made from child labor and forced labor.

Don’t let the opportunity this holiday season to take a stand for working children pass you by. This year, be informed about the products you purchase so you can give them with a clean conscience.

NCL joins groups supporting Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2016 – National Consumers League

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December 7, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League has announced it support for legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs – and U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman – a member of the House Financial Services Committee to prevent Wells Fargo bank from hiding behind its own forced arbitration clauses to duck responsibility for its fraudulent conduct.

Wells Fargo has been embroiled in a scandal since revelations surfaced that its employees had secretly opened roughly 1.5 million bank accounts and issued 565,000 credit cards without customers’ consent. According to the legislation, Wells Fargo is now using the forced arbitration clauses it tucked away in the fine print of contracts customers signed when they opened legitimate accounts to block them from suing over the fraudulent accounts.

“Wells Fargo’s tactics give new meaning to the word ‘chutzpah,’” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “The bank commits massive fraud and then refuses to take responsibility for it, claiming consumers signed away their rights through forced arbitration. If ever the ‘doctrine of unclean hands’ applies, it is here. Regulators and the courts must not allow the bank to engage in this scandalous behavior. Consumers must be protected and NCL fully supports the to ensure victims are afforded their rights under the law and not subject to a dubious forced arbitration clause.”

Warner’s bill, Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2016, would allow victims of Wells Fargo’s fraud to seek their day in court even if they signed contracts that included arbitration for their legitimate accounts in the past.

NCL is joined by endorsements by: The American Association for Justice, Consumers Union, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients), Americans for Financial Reform, the Center for Responsible Lending, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Media Voices for Children, Allied Progress, the Woodstock Institute, the Franciscan Action Network, the Economic Policy Institute Center, California Reinvestment Coalition, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and Public Justice.

The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Robert Casey (D-PA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND).

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.