Democrats in both houses of the California State Legislature have passed a bill that would allow the state to set wages for half a million fast food workers in the state, sending the legislation to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for signature.
The bill, AB 257, creates a ten-member politburo, known as the Fast Food Council, which would serve for ten years, until renewed by the legislature. It would govern “restaurants consisting of 100 or more establishments nationally that share a common brand, or that are characterized by standardized options for decor, marketing, packaging, products, and services.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday:
The bill, known as the Fast Act, would establish a panel with members appointed by the governor and legislative leaders composed of workers, union representatives, employers and business advocates. They would set hourly wages of up to $22 for fast food workers starting next year and can increase them annually by the same rate as the consumer-price index, up to a maximum of 3.5%.
A previous version of the bill passed by the state Assembly in January also allowed the council to oversee workplace conditions such as scheduling and made restaurant chains joint employers of their franchise’s employers, potentially opening them to liability for labor violations.
Representatives for companies including McDonald’s Corp., Yum Brands Inc. and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. succeeded in having those provisions removed in the state Senate via amendments over the past week, though they still oppose the bill.
The Associated Press reported that advocates hoped it would inspire similar efforts nationwide:
“We made history today,” said Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry, calling it “a watershed moment.”
“This legislation is a huge step forward for workers in California and all across the country,” she said as advocates offered it as a model for other states.
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The debate has drawn attention nationwide, including on Capitol Hill where Democratic U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna has expressed hope it will trigger similar efforts elsewhere.
It is not yet clear what Gov. Newsom will do about the bill; he has recently taken a few stances in opposition to the far-left positions of his party, perhaps positioning himself for a future presidential run even as he taunts Republicans nationwide.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.