Workers at Protocall on Wednesday sent the 24-hour crisis call line’s top director a letter asking for voluntary recognition of their union. A supermajority of union-eligible employees signed the letter confirming they want Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 11 to represent them in collective bargaining.
Protocall is a Portland-headquartered, third-party provider of call center services for mental and behavioral health. The for-profit company employs about 350 remote work call takers trained in counseling and crisis response. Its contracts include the employee assistance program at Canopy, the suicide hotline at University of Oregon, and the statewide 988 crisis lines in New Mexico and Virginia.
Workers say they are organizing because the expert level skills they deliver are not being met with fair treatment, leading to high turnover.
“A better say in staffing and control to better serve call takers and callers alike will protect us from burnout and ensure we can respond to our callers quickly,” said Olivia Stuertz, a senior crisis and access specialist at Protocall.
Employees also want more voice in decisions that affect their working conditions.
“Our management has become so disconnected from the realities of the floor and it’s time we have a seat at the table,” said Bee Gibson, a crisis and access specialist. “Call takers should have a voice in the policy that governs our work.”
In their letter, workers set a deadline of July 18 for Protocall to respond with recognition. If the company
declines to recognize the union, OPEIU Local 11 will file for a union election with the National Labor
Relations Board.
“Call takers should have a voice in the policy that governs our work.”
“We hope that Protocall CEO Phil Evans will respect workers’ legally protected right to unionize and
voluntarily recognize this union, so we can begin bargaining a first contract without unnecessary delay,”
said OPEIU Local 11 organizer Mallory Gruben. “We know when crisis staff have clear workplace
policies, adequate staffing and sustainable working conditions, lives are improved on every level, from
call takers, to clients, to every community Protocall serves.”
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About OPEIU Local 11
OPEIU Local 11 represents nearly 1,800 employees across five states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah
and Montana. OPEIU Local 11 ’s members work in many settings, including local governments, mental
health care facilities, nonprofits, utilities providers and union offices. Through OPEIU Local 11, employees
have a voice on the job and an avenue to equality, fair treatment and economic security. Learn more
online at OPEIU11.org.
Through their jobs, mental health professionals provide life-saving support to their communities, which is
why OPEIU Local 11 is proud to represent workers at mental health programs such as Columbia River
Mental Health, Columbia Wellness, and now, Protocall.