California’s newest law is historic progress for fast food workers

This article was originally published at Prism

On Labor Day morning, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 257, regulating fast food workers’ rights. The bill, otherwise known as the FAST Recovery Act, is the first of its kind in the country and will increase the minimum wage to $22 an hour for workers at major franchises while creating an oversight commission for workers in the industry, who company owners have long silenced. The commission, which will be called the Fast Food Council, will include workers’ delegates and employers’ representatives, along with two state officials, and will set minimum standards for wages, hours, and working conditions in California. For the half million fast food workers across the state, the FAST Recovery Act will create a seat at the table and the power to develop solutions to low pay, health, safety, training, and more.