February 27, 2014 – RI Future

Rep. Ray Hull of Providence is proposing a bill that would require public utility companies to keep a customer service center in the state. Cox Communications is a publicly-licensed cable TV provider and it announced yesterday it is laying off 234 people from a West Warwick call center.

“Consolidations and mergers and acquisitions and other high-level corporate moves may be good for those businesses, but I’m not sure those moves are always in the best interest of their customers,” he said in a press release sent out this afternoon.

Cox cable announced yesterday that 234 people will lose their livelihoods working at a West Warwick call center because it wants to consolidate those operations elsewhere. Similarly, 500 people were laid off from Cox in San Diego, and 246 people are being let go in New Orleans.

But Hull, a Providence police officer from Mt. Pleasant, thinks he has a way to keep the Cox call center here in the Ocean State.

According to a House press release the bill “would require every public utility operated and licensed to provide services to the residents and businesses in Rhode Island to maintain a customer service operation physically located within the state, reasonably staffed to meet the expectations of the public. That customer service operation, under the provisions of the bill, would be available to answer customer inquiries, meet with customers, accept payment of bills and perform any other purpose that the Public Utilities Commission may direct.”

Cox is publicly licensed by the people of Rhode Island through the state Public Utilities Commission. According to the mission statement of the Cable Television Office:

“Cable TV companies require a franchise granted by the State to occupy the rights-of-way for the operation of a cable TV system. The Division evaluates company compliance with the requirements of the franchise in such areas as customer service, technical standards and public benefits. The Division regulates Basic Service tier rates and assists as an intermediary between the general public and the cable companies as may be necessary.”

Hull said, “It is not my intent with this legislation to stand in the way of good business activities or to meddle with corporate decisions,” said Representative Hull. “My intent is solely to make sure that Rhode Island customers who buy services from these utilities are properly and adequately served. “Attempts to lower costs and increase profits should never take precedence over the needs of the customers, or the services they provide to those customers.”

The Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed 12 nation free trade agreement that’s been nicknamed “NAFTA on steroids” between the US, Canada, Japan and others, has the American left – if not mainstream America yet – on high alert for two reasons.

One reason is that so-called “free trade” agreements and organizations like the TPP, NAFTA and the WTO benefit big business rather than regular Americans.

“Global health advocates, environmentalists, Internet activists and trade unions have deep concerns about what the deal might contain, and are making as much noise as possible in order to influence negotiations before a final version becomes public,” according to a Washington Post Wonkblog post from December.

And the other reason is that the final version could win congressional approval without ever becoming public. President Obama has been seeking what is called “fast track authority” which would stifle lawmakers ability to amend the deal.

That’s why Congressmen David Cicilline and Jim Langevin, along with 150 House Democrats, signed a letter saying the TPP it should not be fast tracked.

“I believe it is too important an issue for Congress to be bypassed with fast-track authority,” Langevin said in an email to RI Future. “The TPP is far-reaching, affecting economics, intellectual property, the environment, health care and so much more, and as such, it merits a transparent, measured discussion between the Administration and members of Congress.”

Added Congressman David Cicilline: “Using trade promotion authority to ‘fast track’ complex trade agreements restricts Congress’s ability to ensure trade policies are fair for American workers, businesses, intellectual property holders, and consumers. Congress should have a say in crafting trade agreements, which impact U.S. workers and our economy.”

While details of the TPP are still shrouded in secrecy, there is some evidence that the free trade agreement could have a particular impact on an industry important to Rhode Island’s economy. According to the International Business Times (emphasis mine): “The U.S. has its own issues about opening up certain industries, too, such as removing sugar import tariffs and quotas that would harm American sugar beet farmers. The U.S. is also facing the sensitive prospect of inflicting harm on domestic textile and seafood producers in the negotiating process.”

But the Left in general fears the deal because, like NAFTA, it could put American workers in peril and would probably have adverse effects on environmental protections as well. According to the Economist: The “21st-century” aspects of TPP are “behind-the-border” issues, such as intellectual-property protection, environmental and labour standards, the privileges of state-owned enterprises and government-procurement practices. All are problematic.”

And then there are the provisions of the TPP that should raise ire in every American. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation: “Leaked draft texts of the agreement show that the [intellectual property] chapter would have extensive negative ramifications for users’ freedom of speech, right to privacy and due process, and hinder peoples’ abilities to innovate.”

Day: February 27, 2014

Rep Hull proposes public utilities like Cox should keep customer service in state

Cicilline, Langevin oppose ‘fast-tracking’ TPP free trade agreement