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‘Racist’ Union Radio Ad Angers Indian-AmericansIn the battle over the city’s labor laws, a new union ad strikes the wrong chordRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - It’s a pro-union radio ad that’s been airing on radio stations across Anchorage since Friday. But some are saying it’s racist to Americans of South Asian descent. The ad depicts a woman calling 911, with her call being answered by an apparently overseas operator. “This is 911 operator, I am Brad,” the ad begins in heavily accented English. When the woman is told her hoped-for ambulance won’t be arriving—instead she’ll get a taxi—the 911 operator goes on to say “be grateful! It's nicer than the ambulance! But they were the low bidder, so...” (You can hear the ad in its entirety below.) The ad was paid for by the Coalition of Municipal Unions, and their chairman said the ad attempts to show the downside of the mayor’s proposal to overhaul city labor laws. But some are taking issue with the accent used for the “overseas” operator. “You’re kidding me!” Anand Dubey said today. An Anchorage resident for the past 14 years with roots in India, he ran to represent Anchorage in the state House of Representatives in the last election. He said people in the Indian American community reached out to him in anger over the ads. “This day and age, something this obviously racist, and they're airing it on radio? …I had to ask myself, what are they really trying to say?” Porcaro Communications created the ad for the Coalition of Municipal Unions. The group's chairman, Gerard Asselin—who, as a sergeant with the Anchorage Police, also acts as the treasurer for the Anchorage Police Department Employee Association—said the ad's critics are missing the point. “It has nothing to do with an individual, or an individual's race,” Asselin said in a phone interview today. He said the coalition is trying to make Anchorage residents aware of how the mayor's proposed ordinance could change how the city contracts with its unions. “There's this prejudice about the place of Indians, and the role of Indians in a particular industry, and that came out. It came out very clearly,” he said. The ad has since been changed, and the new version doesn't feature anyone with an accent. But Dubey said its too little, too late. “This shows deep rooted prejudice in my mind,” he said. Union workers will be able to present their message to the Anchorage Assembly tomorrow in a special work session at noon. Whether Anchorage residents find the union's message racist—or resonant—remains to be seen. But the battle between the city and the unions has officially taken to the airwaves. This is the advertisement some are calling offensive: |
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Mike J. said on Tuesday, Feb 26 at 8:33 PM
Racist? And yet next time I call the Office Depot or HP help desk, guess who answers the phone? With a heavy Indian accent he tells me his name is Fred, and obviously reading from a checklist. Yeah, that's it.
114664711Blue Light Special said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 10:47 PM
If there is such an abundance of qualified people out there, why don't they apply for open positions? Why do they not accept positions when they are offered? Not seeing a huge pool of skilled labor in Anchorage When the Unions can't find people to dispatch or even except a dispatch from the Muni. Apparently its not the Cadillac they are making it out too be. I expect too see a massive discount on my property tax after jacking around the Muni workers and privatizing our city REALLY?
114134136Fred said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 7:21 PM
Have a nice walk Tony, oh wait he won't walk. And Anonymouth, settle down and sober up.
114118252Anonymous said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 1:30 PM
As per a few anti union comments above: Yes, there are lots of people who can and will replace union employees but those employees will not be trained or skilled, they will be making minimum wage or just above, no overtime pay, no benefits because all employees will be at a 30 hour work week, at will firing with no notice. Sounds like a great job. Oh wait, you don't get that job because as most anti union people they also believe "illegals" or "minorities" are "stealing" their jobs, well that will be true, as many people in those groups will work for less.
114086122Dan said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 1:21 PM
One US Dollar equals 54.0776 India Rupees. See now? Why the Mayor wants out sourcing. If he has his way Union employees will be filing grievances online to an office in India. The money saved he will give to his cronies like Sheffield. Ha Ha!
114085312Robo said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 9:58 AM
The unions are full of thugs...as evidenced by their behavior at rallies across the nation. It is time that legislators stop making paybacks to the unions that fund their respective campaigns. Sorry, but the Assembly is suppose to represent us and get the best value for our tax dollar. It is also the time for the Assembly to sell off Municipal Light and Power and other utilities that do not need to be under government control. This will assist in reducing our overall "workers" costs of running our government.
114061701Anonymous said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 5:23 AM
Yeah, well, welcome to Mike Porcorro's world, he was the lead in to an even more horrible racist, Michael Savage, for many years. As far as APD is concerned, the history of discrimination in that department has been documented for many years, it's understandable why their rep doesn't get it.
114031961Dan said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 2:48 AM
Go ahead Tony,theres twenty million people on unemployment to replace you.Alot of union employees dont think like you and find the unions tactics disscusting the way they threaten the people that pay there wages.You are a public employee,not a union employee that gets paid from a private business.If you don't like what your paid,go to California and see what public unions have done to there cities.If you don't like paying high taxes on your morgage,or high rent because of unions threatening to cut off your water or electicty,tell the mayor to fire them,they can and will be replaced,and if you think you can threaten the public,go ahead, were fed-up!
114022501yomarymo said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 2:06 AM
I think most people got the gist of the ad. Seems like someone is always offended by something. Heck, I still can't figure out why local news channels put people who strain to speak American English on the air to bring the news.
114021441slapnutz said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 12:03 AM
thats unions
114016761JAN said on Tuesday, Feb 19 at 10:54 PM
IT'S ONLY CALLED RACIST IF THE COMMENTS COME OUT OF AN ANGLO'S MOUTH. ANY ETHNIC GROUP EXCEPT ANGLOS SAY WHAT THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT, AND HOW THEY WANT, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THEY ARE "MINORITIES". I CALL BS
114013831Castogere said on Tuesday, Feb 19 at 10:08 PM
@tony, go ahead, and see how fast you find others who are nonunion in your job replacing you tomorrow. People are so self important and ignorant to think that they are not expendable. In reality we are all replaceable.
114011361TedtheBear said on Tuesday, Feb 19 at 9:56 PM
This is an ad against outsourcing jobs to places like India. It not against anyone in general. If anyone have dealt with a firm that outsource their help line, you know why this sort of ad was made. I once called a Pontiac help line and talked to some nitwit from India who told me that Pontiac don't do any services in New York because it is not part of the United States. I once ran into a Dell computer help line where they refused to the honor a warranty because New Mexico is part of Mexico and warranty don't count in a foreign land. In both cases, I was talking to Indians in India. This is an ad against outsourcing jobs to foreign lands like India...not against Indians in general.
114010576Tony said on Tuesday, Feb 19 at 9:39 PM
OK Dan. What if we just all walk away tomorrow. No strike, we all just have a very bad cold. For a long while. No electricity. No water. Good luck with your misguided effort to take revenge on the plumbers union. In the end its those that elected such a poor leader who will lose.
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