Sorenson Alert !!!!! They need help !!!!!

I agree with quido and someother, I wish FCC should cut rate paying interpreters instead of cutting VRS.
 
Dennis said:
Can you break it down a little more than that?

As a businessman, I can see VRS incurring the costs of:

Salaries (Interpreters and support people like managers, IT, customer service, and accounting)
Bandwidth (video uses lots of it)
Equipment (IT, video, servers, websites)



I guess what I see making up the costs is:

How much do interpreters make per hour? Is it more than other kinds of jobs? Should interpreters get paid less? If they get paid less, will they work for VRS or go back to working in the community or for other VRS companies?

How much bandwidth is necessary? Is it more than any other kind of business? In my experience it is, but really, how much more?

What special equipment is needed for VRS? Are there high speed servers, desktops, or cameras being used? Can cheaper stuff be used, or will quality suffer?


If it all adds up to $420 an hour, then, I guess it is a price that has to get paid. I have no clue and no one is showing the real costs of VRS. Something about it being confidential and not wanting to let other companies see their exact costs and try to copy or beat them.
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13 to 15 a hr good enough for interpreter, isnt? look at college/court/hospital/e.t.c. interpreters got paid 15 to 25 a hr but $7a min?!? crazy!
 
Fragmenter said:
I'm very good friends with an interpreter who works for a vp company. She quit her cushy day job so she could make more money in half the time!

They make a boatload of money :whistle:
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I have known an interpreter who is working SorensonVRS she always busy there hardly working at college, I need an interpreter available in the mornings that lady is willing only in the evenings, I got upset why should I depend on an interpreter's schedule what I told counselor and to find different interpreters, since its small town here few certified interpreters I was told :/
 
I hate to say but I have to agree with FCC. What is the point of having i711.com, local relay service, or 711 relay service if deaf and hard of hearing people use VRS? I use I711.com over VRS. the reason why FCC should cut the fund of VRS is because VRS is not a successful service. VRS does have one competer against other service which is a huge successful.
 
FreeWoman77 said:
13 to 15 a hr good enough for interpreter, isnt? look at college/court/hospital/e.t.c. interpreters got paid 15 to 25 a hr but $7a min?!? crazy!
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Interpreters do NOT get paid $13, $15, or even $25 an hour. They get paid more like $50 to $75 an hour for court or medical interpreting, so VRS should pay the same or better..

Then you have other costs. You have to be able to see the interpreter clearly. You pay $29.99 a month for high speed, but VRS centers have to have faster speeds, AND make sure they don't break or go down like your home internet sometimes does. So they pay a lot of money for internet lines. There's a whole bunch of other things too.
 
Dennis said:
Interpreters do NOT get paid $13, $15, or even $25 an hour. They get paid more like $50 to $75 an hour for court or medical interpreting, so VRS should pay the same or better..

Then you have other costs. You have to be able to see the interpreter clearly. You pay $29.99 a month for high speed, but VRS centers have to have faster speeds, AND make sure they don't break or go down like your home internet sometimes does. So they pay a lot of money for internet lines. There's a whole bunch of other things too.
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Holy! I just agreed with Dennis! :jaw: :P

People don't realize the expenses beyond just interpreters that come with VRS. Interpreters are a small percentage of costs. The majority is technology. Technology is expensive.

Very VERY few (community) interpreters ever make $50-$75 an hour. And if they do, they're probably self employed and run their own business so they have other expenses as well. AGENCIES get $50-$75 an hour. My old agency charged $75 an hour and paid the interpreter $13-$18 an hour.

Do you see interpreters living posh lifestyles with fancy cars, huge houses? No. It's hard work, and the pay isn't as great as you think it is. Majority of those who've been doing it for years look tired and overworked (no offense!!!!!!) The stress level is a lot higher than most think.

Also why are people bashing Sorenson for donating money and supporting certain events? Shouldn't they be HAPPY about it? Shouldn't you be looking at other VRS companies and seeing how they DON'T support anything? All their money stays within their companies. Doesn't that make you wonder? All VRS companies are paid the same through the FCC.

I'll say it again, VRS is expensive. Most of the money that Sorenson donates is from OTHER areas of the company, NOT from VRS revenue. Which should be obvious from the fact that none of the other VRS companies are doing the same goodwill things. That or every other company is selfish. How can you hate a company for helping?

Nesmuth: I'll call you out again since you're blathering your "facts" in this thread as well. You say VRS gets $420 an hour, and that it's too much. IF this fact were true, please divide $420 by 840 {Sorenson: 56 (at least) call centers across the US x 15 (at least) interpreters working any given hour= 840 interpreters}; then factor in business expenses. Or else ignore this like you did in the other thread, and call me a name since you know your "facts" are pure bullshit, and you're talking out of your ass.

Dennis: I WISH my high speed at home was $29.99! My only option here is Comcast. $42.95. Highest prices, worst service.
 
I was also just thinking, for those of you who are upset about the lack of community interpreters, (there are a lack of interpreters EVERYWHERE, vrs included, btw) instead of hating VRS, you should be fighting with the agencies who are ripping the interpreters off. As I said above, agencies are getting $75 or more an hour, but the interpreter usually doesn't even get 1/4 of that.
 
Heath said:
Not to mention Sorenson gave Gallaudet a gift of about a couple million dollars.
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Not to mention Sorenson's $5 million gift to Gallaudet has been turned into a travesty by the recent gallaudet protesters because it names another building after a non-deaf person.

You can see Ricky Taylor bitch about it at the end of his youtube video at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35CGU5tFTNQ

Richard
 
vrsterp said:
Very VERY few (community) interpreters ever make $50-$75 an hour. And if they do, they're probably self employed and run their own business so they have other expenses as well. AGENCIES get $50-$75 an hour. My old agency charged $75 an hour and paid the interpreter $13-$18 an hour.
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I don't agree with this. My staff interpreter earns about $35K in salary. She makes much less than her freelance peers, but she gains benefits and regular hours. She knows she could quit and become a VRS interpreter to earn twice as much AND still get regular hours and benefits, but then she would have to put up with the B.S. it takes to be a VRS interpreter.

Nesmuth: I'll call you out again since you're blathering your "facts" in this thread as well. You say VRS gets $420 an hour, and that it's too much. IF this fact were true, please divide $420 by 840 {Sorenson: 56 (at least) call centers across the US x 15 (at least) interpreters working any given hour= 840 interpreters}; then factor in business expenses. Or else ignore this like you did in the other thread, and call me a name since you know your "facts" are pure bullshit, and you're talking out of your ass.
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The way I see it, I think your math is incorrect. $420/hour with 800 interpreters working = Sorenson raking in $336,000 an hour from the American government. One 24 hour day = $8 million. I'm surprised Sorenson only donated a measly $5 million to Gallaudet.
 
Dennis said:
I don't agree with this. My staff interpreter earns about $35K in salary. She makes much less than her freelance peers, but she gains benefits and regular hours. She knows she could quit and become a VRS interpreter to earn twice as much AND still get regular hours and benefits, but then she would have to put up with the B.S. it takes to be a VRS interpreter.



The way I see it, I think your math is incorrect. $420/hour with 800 interpreters working = Sorenson raking in $336,000 an hour from the American government. One 24 hour day = $8 million. I'm surprised Sorenson only donated a measly $5 million to Gallaudet.
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Whether or not you like it, my math is correct. $420 (Nesmuth's number) divided by 840 is 50 cents an hour. That's not factoring in business expenses. My point is to Nesmuth. He is spouting off numbers as fact. And, per usual, is ignoring me when I slaughter his "fact."

Also, if VRS was making $8 million a day (which they aren't, due to numerous factors) figure in wages for interpreters, administration, technology, building and writing programs/software, energy bills to run 60+ centers, cost of benefits, phone bills (international, long distance) etc. Think of how much computer engineers make. Sorenson has all these people working for them, too. It's not just Jim Sorenson (who by the way doesn't own Sorenson anymore) and the interpreters who are dividing this income among themselves.
 
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Dennis said:
I don't agree with this. My staff interpreter earns about $35K in salary. She makes much less than her freelance peers, but she gains benefits and regular hours. She knows she could quit and become a VRS interpreter to earn twice as much AND still get regular hours and benefits, but then she would have to put up with the B.S. it takes to be a VRS interpreter.



The way I see it, I think your math is incorrect. $420/hour with 800 interpreters working = Sorenson raking in $336,000 an hour from the American government. One 24 hour day = $8 million. I'm surprised Sorenson only donated a measly $5 million to Gallaudet.
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And again, how much are other VRS companies donating and supporting? Every VRS provider is reimbursed the same amount from the FCC.

You think VRS interpreters earn $70,000? :jaw: AND with benefits?? I wish.

You can disagree with what I said, that's fine and dandy. However that, again, is fact. My old agency charges $75 an hour, and doesn't pay the interpreter more than $13-$18 depending on the assignment and their certification.
 
Dennis said:
I don't agree with this. My staff interpreter earns about $35K in salary. She makes much less than her freelance peers, but she gains benefits and regular hours. She knows she could quit and become a VRS interpreter to earn twice as much AND still get regular hours and benefits, but then she would have to put up with the B.S. it takes to be a VRS interpreter.
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Oh, and just for shits & giggles I took $35,000 divided it by 52 weeks = $673 a week, divided by 40 hours a week = $16.82 an hour. That's between the $13-$18 I quoted. And how much does your agency charge the hearing client?

ETA: By the way, while working at another VRS company, I made less than what your staff makes an hour. And yes, that company is paid the exact amount that Sorenson is paid from the FCC. Where was the money they were getting for my work going?
 
Nesmuth said:
Not to mention Sorenson's $5 million gift to Gallaudet has been turned into a travesty by the recent gallaudet protesters because it names another building after a non-deaf person.

You can see Ricky Taylor bitch about it at the end of his youtube video at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35CGU5tFTNQ

Richard
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I just saw the video clip and now I understand more what is going on and he does bring up some very good points. I had always thought Gallaudet University could do a whole alots better than they are doing now and that was a real eye opener. Gallaudet Univeristy's talk and action both need to match what the real representation of what Deaf people want see done and improved. There is no excuse that Gallaudet University is located in Washington D.C. surrounded by superb universities and G.U. can really delevop their training and teaching program. I had seen some of the training manuals and university textbooks and I was going huh ? Why aren't hey getting updated current textbooks and things like that could really improve their education and employment chances for a real world job. We will see, Has anything happened ? Is it decided, final call that Jane Fernades will lead Gallaudet University into the 21st Century ??? I have not heard anything more from Gallaudet University. Is the protests over or still going on ?
 
Nesmuth said:
Not to mention Sorenson's $5 million gift to Gallaudet has been turned into a travesty by the recent gallaudet protesters because it names another building after a non-deaf person.

You can see Ricky Taylor bitch about it at the end of his youtube video at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35CGU5tFTNQ

Richard
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Gallaudet was not forced to take the money. If they didn't want it, they shouldn't have taken it. I guess when a deaf person donates 5 million to gallaudet, they can throw a fit that the building wasn't named after a deaf person. Until then...there are bigger things to fight.
 
I went huh? when I watched this video clip... which really shows the state of Deaf education, I know that Jane Fernades made many educational books to send to all 50 states of Deaf schools .... but somehow I feel alots of Deaf education is being kept in the dark. I can only thank God that we have internet to really grow in our educational areas.... I really hope we will be able to do the same thing with Deaf education.... I would have been able to answer most of those questions.... The thing that shocked me most was the political process, I mean it is very important to know who is in power at that time..... He was trying to tell the truth so that there will be serious improvements made at Gallaudet University as well as Deaf education to be affected over all the 50 states where Deaf students go to Deaf schools. We really need to catch up, train, work hard to stay superior and sharpen our educational skills, critical thinking skills things like that etc. This is a very serious look at where we are right now and where we want to go in the future. What we have down pat is 100% Deaf culture but educationally, that is where we gotta be really strong in. He made some very good points and spoke the truth without watering it down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P5bA0Nk17s&search=Gallaudet University
 
 
Heath said:
I went huh? when I watched this video clip... which really shows the state of Deaf education, I know that Jane Fernades made many educational books to send to all 50 states of Deaf schools .... but somehow I feel alots of Deaf education is being kept in the dark. I can only thank God that we have internet to really grow in our educational areas.... I really hope we will be able to do the same thing with Deaf education.... I would have been able to answer most of those questions.... The thing that shocked me most was the political process, I mean it is very important to know who is in power at that time..... He was trying to tell the truth so that there will be serious improvements made at Gallaudet University as well as Deaf education to be affected over all the 50 states where Deaf students go to Deaf schools. We really need to catch up, train, work hard to stay superior and sharpen our educational skills, critical thinking skills things like that etc. This is a very serious look at where we are right now and where we want to go in the future. What we have down pat is 100% Deaf culture but educationally, that is where we gotta be really strong in. He made some very good points and spoke the truth without watering it down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P5bA0Nk17s&search=Gallaudet University
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I totally understand your concern. Just to play devil's advocate, most people (deaf, hearing, everyone!) wouldn't answer those questions correctly. Sad, but true.
 
Listen to what this Deaf college woman had to say and I do agree with what she has to say..... She would have been someone that I would have liked to meet, A very good person to meet, myself personally because she tells it like it is and I can see that it was not very easy for her to tell the truth especially in front of the Deaf militants so she expressed her mind and how she feels about the Gallaudet Protests. She does have very good points to make....

Video Blog: Gallaudet Protest & Truffle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boXb2EFsgFs&search=Gallaudet
 
I am trying to find some more video clips ..... and if I find them I will post them :) :thumb:
 
vrsterp said:
Whether or not you like it, my math is correct. $420 (Nesmuth's number) divided by 840 is 50 cents an hour. That's not factoring in business expenses. My point is to Nesmuth. He is spouting off numbers as fact. And, per usual, is ignoring me when I slaughter his "fact."
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$420 per hour is based on per interpreter. If 840 interpreters are working, then that $420 is multiplied by each of those 840 working interpreters, not divided between them to get "50 cents" for each of the 840 interpreters.

If your math was right, then it'd make complete sense to have as few interpreters as possible. Instead, since every interpreter working brings in more money, the more interpreters you have, the more money is charged to the government.

Oh, and just for shits & giggles I took $35,000 divided it by 52 weeks = $673 a week, divided by 40 hours a week = $16.82 an hour. That's between the $13-$18 I quoted. And how much does your agency charge the hearing client?
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$35,000 in salary does not include benefits. Therefore, my staff interpreter earns above $35,000 in taxable income (including vacation time, medical, dental, vision, retirement, stock options, and so on). Even then, she earns less than her freelance peers, who can charge $50 to $75 per hour, because their hours are not guaranteed nor their work be predictable, whether they work for an agency or for a referral service. She can do freelance work on the side, but her hours are guaranteed M-F 8am to 5pm for myself and other deaf people in my office.

VRS services gain the best of both worlds. High salary, plus benefits, plus regular hours. They have to pay more than freelance interpreting, or otherwise the best interpreters would never make the jump to VRS.

There is a major push in my region for educational interpreting to be supplanted by some kind of cheap CART service like C-Print or Typewell, because those people only require 2 weeks of training and are paid $10 to $15 an hour, much cheaper than hiring a qualified interpreter.
 
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