WhatsApp Spanish-Language Moderators Allege Pay Discrimination

Over 100 outsourced Spanish-language moderators and customer support representatives for WhatsApp declare that their contract firm Accenture has denied them equal pay to different multilingual colleagues in the identical constructing. A gaggle of contractors from Austin, TX and Dublin, Ireland declare that, whereas Accenture employed them to reply to Spanish language reviews all day, they’re informed they don’t qualify for the $2 per hour premium supplied to Arabic or Portuguese audio system.

Moderators and customer support representatives report that they get a base pay of $16.50 per hour. Content moderators for WhatsApp’s father or mother firm Facebook have stated repeatedly in media interviews and a $52 million lawsuit that the job could cause PTSD. While WhatsApp is a messaging service, moderators evaluation personal content material reported by customers, similar to little one intercourse abuse materials. A job listing by Accenture at an Austin, TX web site particularly solicits bilingual Spanish/English audio system and consists of the disclaimer: “In the context of this role, individuals may be exposed to potentially disturbing content, and will need a level of resilience and maturity.” Base pay shouldn’t be listed.

Facebook’s contractors already fall into the underclass of Facebook employees, incomes considerably less than its workers. (Wired reported that as of 2018, the median wage for a Facebook worker was round $228,651, which involves over $100 per hour.)

“For several years now, Accenture, Facebook, and Whatsapp have denied equal treatment and pay to Spanish language Contingent Workers,” the internally-circulated letter, addressed to WhatsApp, Facebook, and Accenture CEOs reads. “Managers and HR reps for Accenture in Austin, Texas have not only ignored the complaints of discrimination for several years now, but they also actively engaged in ensuring this gross injustice go unacknowledged and unaddressed.” The employees have requested for again pay to cowl the missed premium, relationship again to once they had been employed.

As of this writing, an individual acquainted with the matter tells Gizmodo that the letter has 100 signatures. They say that round 500 Spanish-speaking moderators and customer support reps work within the Austin facility.

WhatsApp, Accenture, and Facebook weren’t instantly accessible for remark. We will replace the submit when we hear again. You can learn the letter in full right here:

Letter of Demand for Equal Pay

Mark Zuckerberg (CEO, Facebook)

Will Cathcart (CEO, Whatsapp)

Julie Sweet (CEO, Accenture)

John Arnold (Accenture/Whatsapp Project Manager)

Melody Carson (Accenture/Whatsapp Project Manager)

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg, Mr. Cathcart, Ms. Sweet, Mr. Arnold, Ms. Carson:

We are Contingent Workers, Facebook workers, and public supporters from all world wide.

We, the undersigned, have severe points with Accenture’s method to our issues of rampant discrimination happening inside Contingent Worker groups in Austin, Texas and Dublin, Ireland.

Contingent Workers are on the core of Facebook’s and Accenture’s enterprise fashions. Contingent Workers are essential to the well being and security of it’s a number of platforms,initiatives, and merchandise . And but the businesses deal with Contingent Workers unfairly and with full disregard.

Today, we write to demand change.

For a number of years now, Accenture, Facebook, and Whatsapp have denied equal remedy and pay to Spanish language Contingent Workers.

It is an insult for corporations like Facebook and Accenture to publicly champion range, however but fail to ship this to its personal employees.

Managers and HR reps for Accenture in Austin, Texas haven’t solely ignored the complaints of discrimination for a number of years now, however additionally they actively engaged in guaranteeing this gross injustice go unacknowledged and unaddressed.

We say this blatant act of racism and discrimination in the direction of its personal important employees wants to finish now.

We demand the hourly language premium supplied to bilingual hires of all languages ALSO be supplied to the Spanish language.

This consists of all Spanish language positions inside our groups:

Agents, Sr SMEs, SMEs, Sr QAs, QAs, Jr QAs, Trainers, TLAs, TLs, Sr TLs, and so on. (hereby know as Spanish language employees).

We additionally demand that any and all Spanish language employees be issued retro-pay for the language premium pay they’ve missed since their date of rent to be paid instantly.

We sit up for your public response.

Very sincerely yours,

The Workers of Accenture, Facebook, and our supporters.