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U.S. NEWS Monday 29 august 2022

California weighs rules giving fast food workers more power

By Don Thompson fight about gender justice,”
Associated Press said Joseph Bryant, execu-
(AP) — Since she came to tive vice president of the
California from Mexico 24 Service Employees Inter-
years ago, Maria Bernal has national Union behind the
been supporting her family drive. “Eighty percent of
by often working two jobs the workers are people of
at fast food restaurants. color who work in fast food.
But she says she wound Two-thirds of the workers
up living in a small Kia with are women who work in
her two youngest children, fast food, and these work-
then ages 3 and 15, for six ers are being exploited.”
months after she lost her Fast food workers in Califor-
housing in 2019 when one nia are paid nearly $3 an
of her employers began hour less than comparable
paying her minimum wage workers in other service
for eight hours even when sector jobs, according to
she worked a 16-hour dou- a joint study released this
ble shift. month by Harvard and UC
Union organizers and other San Francisco.
advocates say such wage Bernal hopes the California
theft and other exploitation law and the ongoing effort
is common in the fast food to unionize fast food estab-
industry, particularly for Pedestrians walk below an In-N-Out Burger restaurant sign in San Francisco, Thursday, Aug. 25, lishments will one day lead
women and racial minori- 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) to benefits like paid vaca-
ties who make up many of tions, medical coverage
California’s more than half- the table where they will by a petition signed by known as workers’ boards, and a retirement plan. She
million fast food workers. respect us more and not 10,000 fast food workers, worker standards boards filed a wage claim earlier
The industry denies such allow wage theft to hap- and the council would now or industry committees this year with state regu-
abuses are widespread. pen, and also importantly disappear after six years could combat economic lators seeking $160,000 in
Bernal and more than 100 that we won’t be afraid of unless it is renewed. inequality along with racial back wages and penal-
others who recently rallied retaliation.” Matthew Haller, president and gender pay gaps. ties, while her son is alleging
outside the state Capitol Restaurant owners and & CEO of the International “If we are successful here, child labor law violations
are pinning their hopes on franchisers say the propos- Franchise Association, dis- workers in Florida, Texas, and threats by a restaurant
groundbreaking legislation al would drive up the price missed the last-minute revi- New York, even Idaho will manager.q
that would give fast food of fast food. They cite an sions as “an attempt to put be heartened and they
workers increased power analysis they commissioned lipstick on a pig.” can replicate our success-
by the UC Riverside Center An earlier version cleared es,” Democratic Assembly-
and protections. for Economic Forecast and the Assembly in January man Alex Lee said at the ARUBA
The proposal awaiting fi-
nal action before the Cali- Development that puts the with no votes to spare after workers’ rally. CLEAN
fornia Legislature adjourns price increase at 7% to 20%. falling short last year, and California’s measure would
Wednesday would create A late wage cap added the revised bill is awaiting cover fast food restaurants
a new Fast Food Council to the bill would keep the consideration in the Sen- with at least 100 establish-
made up of four workers’ increase on the low end of ate. ments nationally.
delegates alongside four that range. Late amend- Though California’s effort It grew out of the decade-
employers’ representatives ments limit any minimum would be broader, a wage long Fight for $15 and a
and two state officials that wage bump to $22 an hour board created by New Union minimum wage
would set minimum stan- next year, with cost of living York’s governor in 2015 led movement and efforts by
dards for wages, hours and increases thereafter, while to an increase in fast food labor unions to organize
working conditions in Cali- the statewide minimum will wages there, and similar fast food workers in Califor-
fornia. be $15.50 an hour. efforts have been tried by nia and nationwide.
Bernal said she hopes the Other late amendments some cities. The left-leaning “This is more than just a IS MORE
council would give work- mean the council would Center for American Prog- labor fight. This is a fight DUSHI
ers like herself “a seat at also have to be approved ress says that what also are about racial justice, this is a