In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the Latino unionists who have been monumental figures in progressing workers’ rights. Among them was Luisa Moreno, a Guatemalan-born organizer and activist who would later become one of the most impactful labor leaders of the 20th century. Luisa Moreno was born on August 30, 1906 in Guatemala […]
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In Monumental Victory for Workers, Gov. Newsom Signs AB 5 into Law
Today’s signing of AB 5 is one of the most significant victories for workers in a generation. For far too long, big corporations skirted their responsibility to provide basic protections to workers by calling them independent contractors instead of recognizing them as employees. With his signature on AB 5, Gov. Newsom sends a clear message […]
Read MoreAB 5 Approval a Historic Win for California Workers
By approving AB 5, the California legislature solidified our state’s position as the national leader on workplace rights, setting the standard for the rest of the country to follow. The misclassification of workers creates a corrosive effect that ripples through our entire economy, undermining our laws to protect and support working people. AB 5 is […]
Read MoreThe Future Is Union Strong
This Labor Day one thing is for certain, our economy is changing. And unfortunately, those changes are bringing more hardship to working people. But as California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski writes in a new op-ed for CalMatters, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can provide a future in which working people […]
Read MoreCalifornia Unions Vow to Defeat Gig Company Ballot Measure That Would Strip Workers of Basic Protections and Wages
Instead of improving working conditions and paying drivers a living wage, Uber and Lyft announced they will spend tens of millions of dollars to lead a political campaign to undermine the Dynamex decision and strip those same drivers of basic protections on the job. This announcement lays bare the real motivation of multi-billion dollar gig companies. They […]
Read MoreTime to Stop Abuses, Increase Diversity in Arbitration System
American workers are putting in more hours at their jobs than they did decades ago. Yet with a shrinking middle class and widening income gap between the rich and poor, many may be wondering why they are working more and sharing less in the prosperity of our economy. One reason is the rights of workers […]
Read MoreTrump Nominates Anti-Labor Lawyer Eugene Scalia As Labor Secretary
Last week, President Trump announced the nomination of Eugene Scalia for Secretary of Labor. Following in the footsteps of his father, the late ultra-conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Eugene has built his career on preserving and expanding power for banks and corporations. The nomination of Scalia raises major red flags due to his staunch […]
Read MoreCA Passes Emergency Rule Protecting Workers Exposed to Smoke from Wildfires
California’s wildfires may continue to worsen, but our ability to protect ourselves from their worst impacts doesn’t have to. That was the goal in mind behind a new regulation, adopted last week, to better protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke-related hazards. On July 18th, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board (OSHSB) unanimously approved emergency regulatory language to […]
Read MoreThe Fundamental Question
What matters more… how you came to America or what you did after you got here? I came to America when I was 3-years old. My mother brought me and my brother here from Mexico. We didn’t have legal documents. Should I be judged based on how I got here or on what I’ve done […]
Read MoreCan Gig Workers Have Flexibility and Protections Afforded to Employees in AB 5? Absolutely
Gig companies like Uber, Lyft and Doordash, desperate to avoid providing basic protections and decent pay to drivers, are engaged in an all-out disinformation campaign to defend their illegal business models and kill legislation that would protect workers. We can’t possibly provide flexibility AND treat our workers with dignity and respect, they say. Nonsense. The […]
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