The Fast Food Council Represents Historic Breakthrough for State’s Fast-food Workers
On Labor Day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 257 into law, marking a watershed moment in the nation’s labor history that will give more than half a million low-wage workers in the fast-food industry a meaningful voice on the job.
HIGHLIGHT NYT COVERAGE:
“‘In my view, it’s one of the most significant pieces of state employment legislation that’s passed in a long time,’ Kate Andrias, a labor law expert at Columbia University told the Times. ‘It gives workers a formal seat at the table with employers to set standards across the industry that’s not limited to setting minimum wages.’”
California’s fast-food industry stands out as one of the largest, fastest growing low-wage workforces in the state. California’s fast-food work force is nearly 80 percent people of color, more than 60 percent Latino and two-thirds women.
AB 257 seeks to improve conditions for fast-food workers by guaranteeing them a seat at the table on a Fast Food Council along with regulatory agencies, fast-food franchisees and fast-food corporations to help shape minimum standards on wages, working hours, training, health and safety, and other working conditions including security in the workplace, the right to take time off work for protected purposes and the right to be free from discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
AB 257 will empower workers to develop solutions to long-standing issues in the fast-food industry by:
- Giving Workers a Seat at the Table. The bill creates a statewide Fast Food Council, which will include worker, government and industry representatives, to set minimum standards across the California fast-food industry that strengthen health and safety protections, shield workers from retaliation and ensure workplaces are free from discrimination and harassment.
- Giving Franchisees a Seat at the Table. Under the FAST Recovery Act, franchisees get a seat at the table too. Oftentimes, large franchisors increase California operators’ costs or ignore their most pressing needs. With AB 257, franchisees can leverage the Fast Food Council to ensure their stores are safe, healthy and compliant.
- Establishing a Fast-food Minimum Wage. The bill gives fast-food cooks and cashiers the power to raise the industry-wide minimum wage to up to $22/hr. Similar to the state minimum wage, the industry minimum wage would adjust annually based on the Consumer Price Index.
- Convening Local Fast-food Councils. The bill allows cities and counties to establish a Local Fast Food Council, giving voice to workers and employers in every region of the state and bringing them together to develop specific solutions to issues in their communities.