UWUA Local 132 members sought to raise awareness of SoCalGas’ use of contractors to perform customer service work, which the local says is protected by its collective bargaining agreement. 
On July 1, they held an informational rally in San Dimas, California, followed by another in late August near the company’s Redlands call center.
The work at issue involves roughly 400 members. Local 132 Regional Officer and Organizer Sara Gonzalez understands the contract to prohibit outsourcing the affected positions, but SoCalGas has brought in contractors, including workers in Guatemala and the Philippines, during the company’s transition to a new computer system. The union has taken the dispute to arbitration, with hearings scheduled for December.
For Local 132, the fight extends beyond protecting union jobs. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) undergo about six months of training and handle sensitive customer information as well as emergency calls. The union says U.S.-based SoCalGas CSRs work under federal and state requirements designed to safeguard customer data and contends overseas contractors are not subject to the same requirements. In addition, Gonzalez explained that calls involving potential gas leaks are the type of situations in which an experienced CSR must be able to recognize potentially hazardous conditions and dispatch an emergency response.
Gonzalez and fellow organizer CJ Marchetti have put skills acquired through recent organizing training to work mobilizing members and building support from other unions. Following the July rally, SoCalGas questioned about 40 employees, some of whom had participated in the action. Organizers had already contacted rally participants to make sure they were aware of their rights throughout the investigatory process.
The local is continuing to build support through labor councils, elected officials and other unions while planning additional actions.
“We cannot continue to allow them to do this without notifying the public, without notifying our members, without fighting back,” Gonzalez said.