Governor's Administration Uses Fake “News” Video on Lunch Breaks
Statement by California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski
WHAT: Assemblymember Paul Koretz, Labor & Employment Committee Chair, will
join workers and representatives of working families to discuss a
disturbing new development regarding the Schwarzenegger
Administration’s proposed meal and rest period regulation. The
Administration produced a video news release promoting the Governor’s
changes before the first public hearing on the regulations had even
begun.
WHEN: Monday, February 28, 2005
10:00 AM
WHERE: State Capitol, Room 317
Sacramento
WHO: Assemblyman Paul Koretz
Angie Wei, California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
Barry Broad, representing numerous labor organizations
Workers who have been denied meal or rest breaks (including farm
workers and restaurant workers)
BACKGROUND: Regulatory changes announced by Governor Schwarzenegger will weaken the guaranteed right to breaks and meal periods for California workers. In December Governor Schwarzenegger submitted the changes as emergency regulations. Due to public outcry, he was forced to withdraw them and resubmit them as standard regulations. The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement is mandated to accept public inquiry and hold public hearings. The last hearing and deadline for public comments is March 2, 2005.
One of the Governor’s changes reduced the amount of time that employers can be held liable for refusing to provide breaks (from three years down to one year), which means that Wal-Mart and other corporations would get out of suits they are currently facing for denying meal and rest breaks to workers.
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