Posts tagged California Labor Federation
After years of setbacks, California legislative workers win the right to unionize
October 9, 2023 // Several factors gave supporters hope this year. Chief among them was the Legislature’s leftward shift after the 2022 midterm election, which brought in a fresh class of diverse, progressive and labor-friendly Democrats. McKinnor amassed 42 co-authors from both chambers, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Senator Dave Cortese (D-Santa Clara), chair of the Senate labor committee. Last month, California lawmakers in both chambers approved AB 1 by more than a two-thirds majority. Many of the Democrats champion unions and labor issues, a point of contention among some staffers who argued the members should play by the same rules as the rest of California’s employers.
Labor forged Laphonza Butler. Could unions ‘sling-shot’ her Senate bid?
October 9, 2023 // Already, the primary field is crowded with the three labor-friendly Democrats, whose policy takes on worker issues are barely different from one another. “We have an embarrassment of riches here,” Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, leader of the California Labor Federation, said at its May candidate forum. Butler, however, would be the only candidate to have lived and breathed union organizing. The longtime political consultant served as the president of both the SEIU California State Council — the political coordination arm of the union — and SEIU Local 2015.
California Public School Students Will Learn About Labor Rights Under First-of-Its-Kind Law
October 4, 2023 // Under A.B. 800, all public high schools in California will hold "Workplace Readiness Week" as part of their curriculum. Students will gain a "strong understanding of their rights as workers, as well as their explicit rights as employed minors" and learn about their right to join or organize a union in their workplace.
Gov. Newsom rejects bill to give unemployment checks to striking workers
October 2, 2023 // The fund the state uses to pay unemployment benefits is already more than $18 billion in debt. That's because the fund ran out of money and had to borrow from the federal government during the pandemic, when Newsom ordered most businesses to close and caused a massive spike in unemployment. The fund was also beset by massive amounts of fraud that cost the state billions of dollars.
Opinion: Few Californians Belong, But Unions Scored Big in Legislature this Year
September 26, 2023 // The state’s Unemployment Insurance Fund, or UIF, which is supported by payroll taxes on employers, has about a $15 billion deficit because the state borrowed heavily from the federal government to keep benefit checks flowing during the downturn sparked by Newsom’s orders shutting down much of the state’s economy to battle COVID-19. If the state doesn’t repay the loans, which is likely, the federal government imposes higher payroll taxes on employers to settle the debt. Employers want a veto. Citing the UIF’s crushing debt, Newsom indicated that he’s skeptical.
Commentary: Few California workers belong to unions, but they scored big in Legislature this year
September 20, 2023 // Previously, the Legislature had helped unions gain members by declaring home care and child care workers to be public employees and thus capable of being unionized. In fact, as the Legislature’s session was winding down, it approved a new contract for the latter that included hefty raises. Extending similar status to other service sectors is one possibility. Meanwhile, the bills setting new minimum wages for fast food and health care workers would seem to open the door for similar efforts in other segments of the economy that have large numbers of employees with relatively low salaries.
California proposes paying unemployment benefits to striking workers
August 24, 2023 // One of the main sponsors of the bill, state Sen. Anthony Portantino, said, “I think there’s more of a recognition that hardworking men and women need to have a seat at the table to discuss economic expansion.” He added, “It is embarrassing for California that we don’t have unemployment insurance for striking workers.” The deadline for California lawmakers to introduce new bills was in February, but state legislators can still rework unrelated bills, in a move called “gut-and-amend,” to circumvent the missed deadline and include the new language. The last-minute legislative push is backed by the California Labor Federation, which is led by former state Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez. When Gonzalez tried to pass a similar bill in 2019, it eventually passed both chambers but was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
‘Employees come second’: Why California’s legislative staffers hope to unionize
July 21, 2023 // Unlike other state workers, legislative staff are banned from unionizing to advocate for better working conditions. That could soon change under a bill making its way through the State Capitol. Assembly Bill 1, authored by Assembly member Tina McKinnor (D—Inglewood), would provide a framework for legislative staff to form a union. California’s over 200,000 other public employees are able to unionize. But legislative staff are notably excluded from the law, the Dills Act, that established those rights in the 1970s. AB 1 is the fifth attempt in recent years to change that.
California Independent Contractor Law Faces Withering Attacks
June 16, 2023 //
California labor shows off its political muscle
May 10, 2023 // His speech followed appearances earlier Monday by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon of Lakewood, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins of San Diego and Attorney General Rob Bonta. Atkins pledged again to protect workers’ rights, while Rendon re-upped his backing of a bill to let legislative staffers form a union. The number of potential voters is staggering and, at times, consequential: The Labor Fed claims 2.1 million members in 1,200 local unions and the Building Trades says it has some 450,000 members in 157 affiliated unions. Union members are also a key source of possible volunteers to canvas neighborhoods, run phone banks and distribute campaign flyers. Then there’s the money — a lot of money. As CalMatters’ data journalist Jeremia Kimelman calculated Monday, in 2021-22 alone the Labor Fed spent nearly $2.7 million on campaigns and the Trades another $2.7 million, including more than $1 million to the state Democratic Party and local parties. In addition, the Labor Fed spent $877,000 on lobbying in 2021-22, while the Trades put in nearly $1.2 million.