A few years ago, the demand for $15 an hour was dismissed as unimaginable pie in the sky. Spearheaded by fast-food workers and a remarkable campaign punctuated by strikes, walkouts, media, lawsuits and brave worker leaders, and led by the Fight for $15 and a union, $15 an hour went from laughable to viable.
On Jan. 1, 2021, 20 states and 32 cities and counties raised their minimum wage. In 27 of these places, the pay floor reached or exceeded $15 an hour, according to a report by the National Employment Law Project.
Despite the raise in pay, however, fast-food workers still face wage theft, sexual harassment and assault and violence in the workplace. Wage theft is rampant, in part, because franchisors have such a tight grip on franchisees’ prices and operations that franchisees can only increase profits by cutting the cost of labor.
The Fight for $15 has now introduced a bill in California, AB 257 or the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST), to combat these violations. This bill will transform the fast-food industry by giving workers and franchisees a voice. According to the Los Angeles Times, there may be no more consequential measure for labor rights in Sacramento this session.
The bill would create a fast-food industry council with the power to set enforceable statewide standards for wages, hours, sick leave, training and working conditions for the more than 550,000 fast-food workers in California. It would also make franchisors jointly...
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief PLtGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. PNP PIO MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday, April 6, said it will pursue criminal charg...