Interpreters who work in Nebraska courts stage walkout to protest pay

[Omaha Steve]

https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/nebraska-court-interpreters-protest-low-wages/article_9766a182-093a-11ee-a2c7-1b12600cb5c0.html

Erin Bamer Jun 12, 2023 Updated 6 min ago

LINCOLN — Some of the interpreters for Nebraska’s state courts are refusing to work until further notice to protest their pay.

The walkout comes several weeks after Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed a pay increase for court interpreters that was proposed in the state’s two-year budget. State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln attempted to override that veto but failed to get enough support from other lawmakers.

There’s no official count for how many interpreters are participating in the walkout statewide, and no end date for the protest has been set, said Kelly Varguez, a court-certified Spanish interpreter. A lack of available interpreters could mean delays in court services, an increased reliance on video interpreters and extra money spent extending some cases.

According to a press release from Interpreter Advocacy Nebraska, the hourly rates for the state’s court interpreters haven’t been changed since 2004, despite numerous attempts to raise them. The current rate is $50 an hour for certified interpreters and $35 an hour for registered and non-certified interpreters, with a two-hour minimum.

FULL story at link.