Activism Change

"Working Assets" Long Distance

Question:

         J u s t   c a l l   8 0 0   –   7 8 8   –   8 5 8 8 Ask for more info by (postal) mail if you’re not ready to join right away. They — donate 1% of your long-distance phone-bills (at no cost to you) to progressive nonprofit groups — In fact, you get to vote, once per year, on the distribution of the funds, ie to which groups they go (including nominating groups). — Basic rates lower than MCI, Sprint, AT&T — action-alerts in each phone bill, including tel numbers, summary info, Bill names, etc — Free calls to government leaders — Volume discounts (%5-%15) — Additional 20% discount for calls between two WALD subscribers — 100% post-consumer recycled paper is used on the bills & envelop (when you join, you can specify a WALD member who refered you and they get a bonus — I suggest "PeaceNet")

Response:

This is all very nice, but let’s put it into some perspective: [Working Assets Long Distance phone co.] — donate 1% of your long-distance phone-bills (at no cost to you) to progressive nonprofit groups

Let’s say you individually average $30/month on long distance. Then your yearly expenditure is $360 of which 1%=$3.60, so you are better off making a five dollar donation to your favorite non-profit organization. — Basic rates lower than MCI, Sprint, AT&T

On some times/distance ranges, not others. But they are competitive with MCI/Sprint, it won’t cost you more on average. — action-alerts in each phone bill, including tel numbers, summary info, Bill names, etc — Free calls to government leaders

The free calls are for 4 3 minute calls per month (day rate, to Washington DC) If the government office puts you on hold, or you have a meaningful interchange of information and ideas, you will end up paying for most of the call. Also, you have to make your call on a certain day of the week. The idea is nice because Congress gets deluged with calls about the same subject all at once, so the impact is probably larger than if the same number of calls/letters trickle in over a longer period. — Additional 20% discount for calls between two WALD subscribers

This is nice because it is automatic, you don’t have to provide a list of numbers like you do for MCI, and there is no limit. — 100% post-consumer recycled paper is used on the bills & envelop

I like to support companies that do things of this nature. Working Assets uses the Sprint communications lines, they have some sort of contract with Sprint. So when you use Working Assets, you are helping Sprint, though Working Assets is independent of Sprint. The company Working Assets also offers a socially correct mutual fund (i.e. they only invest in companies that have good labor relations, don’t make weapons, etc.; I don’t recall their specific criteria).

Response:

Filed under: Activism

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