Letter to Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, Toni Atkins, President pro temp of the California Senate, Anthony Rendon, Speaker of the California Assembly - Release: Rep. Ro Khanna Calls on California State Lawmakers to Support Fast-food Workers

Letter

Dear Governor Newsom, President pro Tempore Atkins, and Speaker Rendon,

Our country has a historic opportunity to help address income inequality for the 140 million Americans living in poverty today who are disproportionately represented in low-wage industries like fast food.

We, as California representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives, invite you to support Assemblymember Chris R. Holden's (D -- Pasadena) AB 257 or the "FAST Recovery Act". This landmark bill would create a fast-food industry-wide council in California where workers, employers and state agencies can work together to deliberate and devise common sense solutions to worker pay, protections, benefits, and training. Most importantly, codifying AB 257 would help lay the groundwork to expand sector councils not only in California but across the United States - a watershed moment for the low-wage workforce nationwide.

This is an unprecedented opportunity for state legislatures and the U.S. Congress to address income inequality for working class Americans. According to the American Constitutional Society, AB 257 "offers a path to achieve a fairer and more effective regulatory system" in industries like fast food who disproportionately rely on low-wage workers. Investing in organizing models like AB 257 - that include workers in the decision-making process - is key to addressing rising income inequality, increasing the country's labor participation rate, and getting Americans back to work nationwide.

Fighting inflation requires we support bold policy solutions that increase workforce participation and economic productivity. As such, we urge you to consider supporting AB 257 and the benefits this type of approach would have not only for states but the entire nation. Thank you for your full and fair consideration of this request consistent with all applicable laws and regulations.

Sincerely,