Profiles in Success-NCL (web) v9

PROFILES IN SUCCESS National Consumers
League, Bank of Labor =
Common Values

NCL urges consumers and organizations of the primary reasons is that Wells
to walk away from Wells Fargo. Fargo forced its staff to open
more than two million phony bank
After learning of Wells Fargo’s hesitation, they chose Bank of accounts without their consumers’
unscrupulous practice of opening Labor. consent to generate fees and
unauthorized customer bank penalties. We moved our money
and credit card accounts and NCL Executive Director Sally to Bank of Labor because BoL
collecting millions of dollars Greenburg said, “We wanted does not have a mandatory or
in bogus fees, the National a consumer- and labor-friendly ‘forced’ arbitration provision. It is
Consumers League joined a broad bank, and we were fortunate to also union-owned and unionized.”
coalition of pro-consumer groups find a strong banking partner who
to launch a national campaign to matched up with our values. This Forced arbitration clauses
get like-minded organizations to has been a great move for us. We are intended to prevent
stop banking with Wells Fargo. couldn’t be happier.” customers from going to court;
the corporation provides the
The NLC then searched for After six years of banking with private arbitration forum, controls
a new banking partner, one that Wells Fargo, the NCL moved its the process, and there is no
shared its commitment to social operating funds to Bank of Labor. requirement that arbitrators follow
and economic justice. Without the law and or provide a right of
“We did this for several appeal. That means that there is no
reasons,” said Greenburg. “One formal record, no legal precedents
are set and everything is done in

National Consumer League Executive Director, Sally Greenburg and Bank of Bank of Labor
Labor’s Senior Vice President for Labor Market Development, Bridget Martin partners with
praised the NCL for its 118-year record of supporting labor and consumers at
Bank of Labor’s Washington, D.C. office. unions and
supporters to

REBUILD
AMERICA.

PROFILES IN SUCCESS continued from front said during the opening of Bank Development, Bridget Martin,
of Labor’s Washington, D.C. praised the NCL for its 118-year
the secrecy of a private arbitration. office: “We can make our job a record of supporting labor and
That is bad for consumers. lot easier starting [now] when consumers.
we stop giving our money to
Mandatory arbitration is part those who use it against us day “The National Consumers
of a decades-long campaign in and day out. Let’s give it to the League has long been a
waged by the Chamber of people that use it for us.” champion for the rights of those
Commerce and corporate who, if standing alone, would
America against consumer rights. Bank of Labor’s Senior Vice have a difficult time obtaining fair
President for Labor Market treatment and justice from powerful
United Mine Workers of organizations. That certainly
America President Cecil Roberts meshes well with our mission of
supporting the National Labor
“We can make our job a lot easier … Movement and working families.”
when we stop giving our money to
those who use it against us.”

~ United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts

Pictured from left to right: Karen Duncan, Maritime Trades Department; Gwend Johnson, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists;
Mike Stotz, AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust; Puja Arora, AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust; Sally Greenburg, National
Consumers League; Bridget Martin, Bank of Labor; Ed Smith, ULLICO; Ken Gonzales, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance;
Gerron Levi, National Community Reinvestment Coalition; Elise Bryant, Labor Heritage Foundation; Tammy Truong, Asian
Pacific American Labor Alliance; and Tom Krigger, North America’s Building Trades Union. (Not pictured: Alicia Paige, Bank of
Labor; Olivia Brosan, Bank of Labor; Cecile Conroy, Boilermakers Union; Rosemary Shahan, Consumers for Auto Reliability and
Safety; Cindy Hoang, National Consumers League; and Brian Young, National Consumers League)

Main: 855.24.LABOR | DC: 202.756.5671 | BankofLabor.com |