Workforce Language Services

Some ex-employee whistle-blowers say that Bank of America ordered them to use their Spanish language skills to push immigrants into bank services they couldn’t afford.

“We were coached every day to push multiple checking accounts, credit cards and debit cards even when the customer didn’t understand how to use them,” said [former bank teller Gabby] Ornelas, who lives in Landover Hills, Md., a town with a large immigrant population and a per-capita income of less than $19,000.

The Service Employees International Union, who is trying to organize BOA, is backing Ornelas and eight of her colleagues as they address what they believe is unethical exploitation of Latino immigrants. They say that BOA’s business model encourages working-class customers to sign up for lines of credit with high interest rates and cash advance services, all meant to maximize charges and overdraft fees.

BOA, on the other hand, believes the union is misinterpreting the relationship they have with their customers. A rep said that the services are legal and useful to customers:

“We believe a checking account is the cornerstone to establishing financial security in this country,” [BOA spokesperson Anne] Pace said in an e-mail. “We offer innovative financial services to meet the needs of all of our customers, including Hispanic customers.”

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