NCL statement on new University of Massachusetts Amherst sociology research examining corporate ratings – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 17, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL), America’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, today welcomes newly published research on corporate ratings awards conducted by sociologists Tom Juravich and Essie Ablavsky of the University of Massachusetts Labor Center.  In “The Corporate Rating Sham: The Case of T-Mobile,” Juravich and Ablavsky found that these awards are largely self-serving and neither objective nor scientific.  

“This exposé of these ubiquitous corporate awards is an important service to consumers.  Too often, firms tout their awards as symbols of performance excellence, and too often they are little more than marketing ploys,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director.

According to Juravich and Ablavsky’s findings, the majority of these corporate recognition contests are based on self-nomination and company self-reports with little independent verification of data.  Awards programs lack transparency in the selection and evaluation criteria.  Some of the awards firms also provide consulting services to the very companies they are rating, creating a built-in conflict of interest.

The new research highlights the case of T-Mobile, the fourth-largest mobile service provider in the United States, which claims to be the recipient of at least 47 “best of” awards from 2011 to 2013.  Yet, this is a company that has been a target of concern among Members of Congress, investors, and progressive organizations for its poor treatment of workers, ranging from overbearing and disrespectful management styles, to suppression of workers’ rights. 

“T-Mobile is a good demonstration of what is wrong with corporate recognition awards,” said Greenberg. “The company’s well-known problematic labor practices put these ‘best of’ awards in doubt. A company’s treatment of workers must be a key factor in any ratings process, and awards for quality must not be allowed to mask abusive workplace policies.” 

The full report, “The Corporate Rating Sham: The Case of T-Mobile,” can be viewed here.

###

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.

NCL applauds Congress for steps to remove children from hazardous tobacco farming – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 17, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization, applauds members of Congress who have recently taken action to end the scourge of children working in hazardous tobacco fields. Last week, Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) began circulating a sign-on letter to House members asking the Department of Labor to take narrowly-focused regulatory action to protect children from dangerous tobacco fields, where child farmworkers regularly suffer nicotine poisoning, toxic pesticide exposure, and work at dangerous heights.

“They can’t legally purchase cigarettes, but we permit these children to work in tobacco fields and suffer acute nicotine poisoning,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL and co-chair of the Child Labor Coalition (CLC), which NCL helped found 25 years ago. “We urge Congress to take immediate action to protect America’s most vulnerable workers—children in tobacco fields.”

The concern about children working on tobacco farms is growing. In May, Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented the dangers in a report, Tobacco’s Hidden Children: Hazardous Child Labor in United States Tobacco Farming, finding that of 141 child tobacco workers interviewed in North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, three-quarters reported falling ill. Many of their symptoms—nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, and dizziness—are consistent with acute nicotine poisoning (also known as “Green Tobacco Sickness”).  Exemptions to U.S. child labor law allow children as young as 12—and in some cases even younger—to work long hours in tobacco fields.

“These children are among the nation’s most vulnerable, and we must do more to protect them,” said Rep. Cartwright in his “Dear Colleague” letter to fellow Members.

A bill, HR 5327, introduced by Rep. Cicilline this summer, would classify tobacco as “hazardous oppressive labor”, allowing the U.S. Department of Labor to ban it for those under 18. “It seems to me that exposing young people to those kinds of dangers is something we should prevent,” Cicilline said in an interview.

Also this summer, 17 senators sent a letter to several large tobacco companies asking them to voluntarily ban children from their fields.

The Kentucky-based Council on Burley Tobacco has also taken a public stand on this issue: “We do not condone the hiring of anyone under the age of 16 for work in tobacco anywhere in the world.”

In July, 53 groups signed onto a Child Labor Coalition letter urging the largest tobacco corporations to take voluntary action to ban children from tobacco fields. Last month, in another CLC letter, 50 organizations wrote to President Obama to urge greater protections for child tobacco workers.

“In America today, children who harvest tobacco must protect themselves from nicotine and pesticide residues by wearing plastic garbage bags with holes punched in them for their arms and heads. They are standing in drying barns at heights of 20 feet or more on unbelievably narrow rafters,” said Reid Maki, NCL’s director of child labor advocacy and the coordinator of the CLC. “Exposing children to deplorable working conditions is not in keeping with American values—we are so much better than this as a nation. We applaud Congress for taking steps to protect these vulnerable child workers.”

###

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.

NCL letter to Rockefeller on ‘Local Choice’ proposal – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 11, 2014

The Honorable John D. Rockefeller IV
Chairman
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate
254 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20002

Re:      “Local Choice” and Communications Act Update

Dear Senator Rockefeller:

On behalf of the National Consumers League[1] (NCL), I am writing to give you our thoughts regarding your and Ranking Member Thune’s “Local Choice” proposal, should it be considered as part of an update to the Communications Act.

NCL has long supported federal policies that would end blackouts of programming stemming from retransmission consent negotiations between broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).[2] We also support additional choice and bill transparency for cable television subscribers.

In addition, we urge the Committee to seek solutions that achieve these goals while also preserving the viability of local broadcasters. Today – the 13th anniversary of September 11, 2001 — we are reminded of the critical role that local television broadcasters play in informing the public during times of crisis. Absent local broadcasters, consumers could be left without a crucial source of information when disasters strike. Enabling universal access to local broadcast stations is, we believe, an essential American value.

We understand that the “Local Choice” amendment to the Satellite Television Access and Viewer Rights Act (STAVRA) will not be considered during this Congress.[3]  We hope that these issues will be part of the discussions surrounding a possible update to the Communications Act. We urge you and your colleagues on the Commerce Committee to seek a solution that both preserves the important role that local broadcasting plays in communities across America while increasing cable bill transparency and ending blackouts.

Sincerely,

Sally Greenberg
Executive Director
National Consumers League

cc:        The Honorable John Thune, Ranking Member

[1] The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is the nation’s pioneering consumer organization.  Our non-profit mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit https://nclnet.org.  

[2] National Consumers League. “Consumers are the ultimate losers in retransmission consent fights,” Press Release. August 6, 2013. Online: https://nclnet.org/consumers_are_ultimate_losers_in_retransmission_consent_fights

[3] Eggerton, John. “Sources: Local Choice Expected to Be Pulled from STAVRA,” Broadcasting & Cable. September 9, 2014. Online: https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/sources-local-choice-expected-be-pulled-stavra/133838

NCL statement applauding FCC action on Sports Blackout Rule – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 9, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC—The following statement is attributable to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League:

Every fall, football fans across the nation run the risk of missing their favorite games because of an outdated Sports Blackout Rule that exists only to pad the bottom line of wealthy NFL team owners. Under this forty-year old rule, games can be blocked on television in local markets unless the games are sold out. The FCC should not be in the position of propping up ticket sales through an arbitrary, anti-fan rule designed for a bygone era.

Three years ago, NCL and other groups petitioned the FCC to end the Rule. Today we applaud FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler for taking the pro-consumer step of scheduling a vote to do so later this month. We urge all five Commissioners to listen to the voices public interest advocates, sports fans from across the county, academics, businesses and Members of Congress and vote to eliminate this anti-consumer rule.

###

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.

Student financial literacy competition opens 2014-15 season – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 9, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications Ben Klein, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – Today marks the official launch of the 21st season of LifeSmarts, with a new competition going live at the online home of the program, LifeSmarts.org. LifeSmarts, a program of the National Consumers League (NCL), is a national competition for middle school and high school students that tests knowledge of real-life consumer issues and aims to create a future generation of savvy-consumer adults.

“We are very excited to launch our 21st season of LifeSmarts,” said Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “LifeSmarts gives students the skills they need to succeed as adults. The knowledge they gain will help them make smart decisions and avoid financial pitfalls when they hit the real-world.”

LifeSmarts focuses on five main content areas: consumer rights and responsibilities, personal finance, technology, health and safety, and the environment. Students are quizzed on their knowledge of these subject areas during online competition. Top-performing teams then advance to statewide competitions, and state champion teams advance to the national championship held each year in a different American city. The 2015 National LifeSmarts Championship will take place April 17-20, 2015, in Seattle, WA. Winning teams receive scholarships and other prizes.

Last year, students answered more than 3 million consumer questions about credit reports, recycling, nutrition, social media, state lemon laws, and everything in between. By being consumer savvy and quick on the buzzers, the LifeSmarts team from Valley Regional High School in Canaan, NH, took home top honors last April at the 20th anniversary national event at Walt Disney World.

“We are excited to continue to grow the LifeSmarts program into new states and regions, to educate students about financial literacy and being responsible consumers, and to create a new generation of savvy, market-ready consumers and workers,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL. “Too often traditional high school curriculum fails to teach students vital information that will be crucial once students go to college, get their first job, or move out of their parents’ house.”

In addition to hosting the official LifeSmarts competition, LifeSmarts.org provides resources for teachers to supplement existing lesson plans. These include daily quizzes, educational videos, social media competitions, focused study guides, and scholarship opportunities. LifeSmarts lessons closely align with courses taught in Family and Consumer Sciences, business, technology, health, and vocational education. Math and English teachers have also had success with LifeSmarts, as have homeschool and community educators.

“The information is so practical,” says Lois Johnson, a Minnesota teacher who has been coaching LifeSmarts for 17 years. “You can take algebra or geometry and learn some stuff, but I tell my students, ‘I’m going to be teaching you things you’ll actually be using.’ It’s survival.”

Major LifeSmarts contributors include: UL, Visa, Experian, Western Union, Google, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Comcast, Microsoft, Toyota Financial Services, Amazon.com, American Express, CBM Credit Education Foundation, and others. 

Visit LifeSmarts.org for more information. LifeSmarts: Learn it. Live it.

###

About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts

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.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email  lifesmarts@nclnet.org, or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.

NCL statement on bank data breach – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

August 29, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC-The National Consumers League reacted to the recent news that hackers infiltrated the security systems of the nation’s largest bank, JPMorgan Chase, as well as four additional smaller banks by reiterating the need for major legislative reforms to protect consumer information. This call to action is the mission of NCL’s latest campaign — the #DataInsecurity Project — to raise awareness about the impact of data breaches on consumer confidence in the marketplace.

NCL’s Executive Director, Sally Greenberg, stated “Like the rest of the public, we are just learning that yet another major American institution, this time one of the nation’s largest banks, has reportedly fallen victim to a sophisticated hacking scheme. This underscores the need for comprehensive federal legislation ondata security that includes a) breach notification to consumers whose accounts have been potentially compromised; b) requirements that companies use state of the art data security technologies, c)empowers federal enforcement agencies like the FTC,” NCL is calling for a national consensus to act and we need to agree on a roadmap to getting there. This involves consumers, business, government and law enforcement sitting down and committing to a process.

NCL has hosted meetings in Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago this summer and hopes to hold a similar meeting in Minneapolis to examine the impact of data breaches on consumers and what steps can be taken to address this massive and growing problem. “Consumers are asked to hand over more and more private financial and personal data to big institutions like banks, retail establishments and government.Consumers must be confident that their data receives the best possible protections to ensure that thisinformation is not getting into the wrong hands,” Greenberg said. NCL is calling on Congress, federal agencies, state attorneys general and other regulatory and law enforcement bodies to develop and adopt robust policies to protect the public’s information

###

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.

NCL applauds Microsoft disassociation with ALEC – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

August 27, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL) is applauding Microsoft and AstraZeneca’s recent decision to end its association with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The following statement is attributable to Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director:

“ALEC has been at the forefront of efforts to roll back some of our nation’s most important consumer and worker protections on issues such as telecommunications deregulation, the Affordable Care Act, Wall Street reform, “right to work,” state usury caps, and more. We encourage other companies that express a commitment to consumer and worker protection to follow Microsoft and AstraZeneca’s lead and consider disassociating themselves from ALEC.”

###

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.

Women and families to tell lawmakers: #WEmatter – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

August 22, 2014

For immediate release: August 22, 2014
Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – A growing number of people are calling for action to promote the economic security of women and families, building on the momentum and activism seen at the local, state and national levels so far this year, including at the first ever White House Summit on Working Families. 

Under the umbrella #WEmatter, organizations and individuals nationwide are taking to social media on Women’s Equality Day, August 26 – the 94th anniversary of the day Congress stopped denying women the right to vote.  Together, the groups aim to send a message to lawmakers: Women’s economic issues – and their votes – matter. The groups believe economic security is intrinsically linked to community security and in the midst of the tragedy of Ferguson, #WEmatter raises an important vision of economic, gender, and racial justice.

#WEmatter represents a unified call for action and accountability that is not limited to a single issue or policy prescription. Instead, the effort recognizes that a range of policy changes, such as fair pay, paid leave, fair schedules, quality care and an end to gender and racial discrimination, are needed to strengthen families and the economy.  

#WEmatter brings together a large and diverse group of individuals, organizations and coalitions currently working on a spectrum of issues with one common goal: ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Groups joining the effort include: 9to5, National Association of Working Women; American Association of University Women; A Better Balance; AFSCME; Black Women’s Roundtable; Center on Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Color of Change; Family Values @ Work and its 21 state coalitions; Interfaith Worker Justice; Labor Project for Working Families; Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO; Make It Work; Mi Familia Vota; MomsRising; National Consumers League; National Council of Jewish Women; National Domestic Workers Alliance; National Employment Law Project; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Women’s Law Center; OUR Walmart; Reproductive Health Technologies Project; ROC-United; UltraViolet; USAction; Women’s Voices Women Vote Action Fund; Working America. (List in formation.)

Individuals interested in following the movement on social media or learning more should follow #WEmatter on Twitter.  

###

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.

NCL applauds Sen. Rockefeller for investigating airline fees – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

August 20, 2014

For immediate release: August 20, 2014
Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, today applauded Senator Jay Rockefeller for opening an inquiry into airline passenger fees and consumer data privacy policies.

Last year, NCL published a groundbreaking report examining the troubling correlation between rising cancellation/change fees, the high cost of refundable tickets and the misleading marketing of travel insurance products. Among the recommendations in the report was a call for Congressional oversight hearings to examine these issues. NCL is therefore particularly encouraged by Senator Rockefeller’s request for information from ten major U.S. airlines about cancellation and change fees and travel insurance revenues.

The following statement is attributable to Sally Greenberg, National Consumers League (NCL) Executive Director:

“Consumers are fed up with the ever-growing list of add-on fees that airlines are piling on top of basic airfares. These fees are contributing to record airline industry profits at a time when consumers’ travel budgets remain strapped due to the sluggish economic recovery. To make matters worse, many of these fees are poorly disclosed and the sale of travel of travel insurance and the coverage it provides is deceptively advertised. This makes comparison-shopping all but impossible for millions of American travelers. We applaud Senator Rockefeller for launching this important investigation and look forward to a robust accounting of the impact of these fees and deceptive insurance products on consumers.”

###

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.

NCL releases consumer guide to buying fall concert, NFL tickets online – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

August 19, 2014

For immediate release: August 19, 2014
Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – With many of the top recording artists on tour through the fall and the NFL season about to kickoff, the National Consumers League (NCL) today released a “Practical Guide to Buying Live Event and Sports Tickets” to help fans navigate the often confusing and cumbersome process of buying tickets online.

Once as easy as going to the box office, stadium, or the local record store, buying tickets to live event and sporting events has become a maze of ticket websites, resellers, online classified ads, and street vendors all competing for consumer dollars.

“We want to make sure fans have the information they need to make the best ticket buying decisions; we also want to raise awareness about anti-consumer practices in the ticketing industry,” said NCL’s Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud John Breyault. “For example, fans should be on the lookout for restricted ticketing, undisclosed price floors, and deceptive websites that lure unsuspecting fans into buying resale tickets. NCL has developed a list of tips that will help consumers find their way through this thicket of potential problems.”  

Restricted ticketing, which ties the consumer’s ticket to their credit card and ID, makes it difficult, if not impossible, for consumers to transfer their tickets or share them. And the 30 million Americans who do not have a credit or debit card can’t even purchase this type of ticket in the first place.

“We think consumers should have the right to choose what they do with their tickets after purchase. If plans change, no one should have to lose 100 percent of the ticket value because they can’t give it away or resell it,” added Breyault.

In addition, some resale marketplaces, such as Ticketmaster’s TicketExchange, limit how low a ticket can be priced. That’s an outrageous practice. This price floor is not disclosed to consumers, who might think they’re getting a reasonable deal; in reality, there may be cheaper tickets available on other sites that don’t control prices.

However, when shopping for tickets online, particularly when doing an Internet search, consumers should be sure they know where they are buying their tickets from and whether it is a reseller or the box office that they are doing business with.

“Some ticket resellers create websites that pose as a box office or the official ticket seller. These are deceptive, and consumers should take the time to make sure they know if they are buying a resale ticket or not,” said Breyault.

To avoid these pitfalls and others, NCL suggests following these seven steps:

  1. Read the Fine Print: Artists are increasingly selling restricted tickets, also known as paperless or Credit Card Entry tickets, which require the buyer to show up at the stadium and present the purchasing credit card and photo ID. The premise for creation of the restricted ticket is to prevent scalping; the unintended consequence for consumers is that they cannot even give or resell a ticket to a friend since the buyer’s credit card is required to get the ticket at the venue. The fine print indicates these tickets are nontransferable and cannot be given away as gifts or resold. Consumers can easily miss this important information unless they pay close attention during the ticket buying process.
  2. Look into Presales: Popular artists, venues, and ticket vendors tend to allocate large blocks of tickets to fan club members, VIPs, premium credit card holders, and personal acquaintances, leaving only a small portion of tickets to the general public. For example, a 2011 Justin Bieber concert in Nashville, only made 1,001 out of 14,000 seats available to the general public.
  3. Beware of Hidden Price Floors: When purchasing resale tickets on secondary sites, check multiple sources to make sure you get the best price. Some teams and ticket vendors dictate the minimum price that tickets can be sold for, preventing consumers from buying tickets at the cheapest price possible.
  4. Use Reliable Sellers: If you’re unsure whether a company is legitimate, check its ratings with the Better Business Bureau. Also be sure to be certain as to whether you are buying tickets from the box office, official ticket agent, or a reseller. Some ticket resellers hide the fact that they are a reseller or even pose to look like the official ticket agent. If purchasing from a ticket broker, check to see if it is a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers, whose Code of Ethics requires members to adhere to basic consumer protections. Be careful buying tickets from Craigslist or resellers on the street since these outlets do not have refund policies or any solid consumer protections.
  5. Check your ticket vendor’s guarantee policy: For example, websites like StubHub, TicketExchange, Ace Tickets, and members of the National Association of Ticket Brokers guarantee every ticket sold on their sites and will replace them or provide refunds to consumers if the event that they receive the wrong tickets, their tickets are invalid, or an event is cancelled.
  6. Buy with a Credit Card: Regardless of where you buy tickets, be sure to use a credit card so you can dispute any unfair or unauthorized charges. Before entering your credit card information online, double check the company’s URL to ensure you don’t get duped by an imposter and be sure the site has “https://” at the beginning of its address.
  7. Check if the Price Includes Additional Fees: Unlike airline tickets, which are now required by law to disclose all taxes and additional fees upfront, the ticket price listed at the start of the purchasing process will likely not be your final price. If you are shopping between multiple websites to compare prices, make sure you know if you are comparing ticket prices that include fees.

###

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.