Two Los Angeles City Council members have introduced a package of motions aimed at addressing the issue of wage theft in the city. Council members Hugo Soto-Martinez and Tim McOsker presented the legislation during a press conference outside City Hall. The motions are designed to improve enforcement of wage and hour violations and promote coordination between city departments to support victims of wage theft. Soto-Martinez stated that the legislation will bring justice to working people and combat corporate greed.
The executive director of the L.A. Worker Center Network, Armando Gudino, expressed support for the council members’ efforts to combat wage theft. Gudino highlighted the challenges faced by low-wage workers and emphasized that wage theft has made Los Angeles the capital of such incidents in the nation. He noted that victims of wage theft lose an estimated 12.5% of their annual income.
Last month, McOsker and Soto-Martinez introduced a motion to identify the resources and staffing needs of the city attorney’s office for better prosecution of wage theft cases. On Friday, they introduced two new motions. The first motion empowers the Office of Wage Standards to investigate wage and hour violations, including subtle methods of wage theft such as overtime and tip violations. Previously, only the state had the authority to investigate such violations, leading to under-enforcement. The second motion requests collaboration between the Office of Wage Standards and the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department to ensure that workers reporting wage theft can receive assistance, regardless of the department they approach.
McOsker highlighted the importance of providing information about wage theft in appropriate languages and creating opportunities for individuals to report incidents. He emphasized that wage theft disproportionately affects low-wage workers of color, immigrants, and women. To support these affected groups, the council members will introduce resolutions backing federal legislation for pay equality between men and women and establishing a national sick time off standard.
Soto-Martinez emphasized the staggering amount lost due to mistreatment and wage theft, particularly impacting immigrant women of color in Los Angeles. He highlighted that the city loses more money annually to wage theft than it invests in addressing homelessness. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto echoed their concerns about the alarming prevalence of wage theft in the city and mentioned recent cases where her office has resolved five cases and provided restitution to workers.
Jeremiah Gordon, organizing coordinator at the L.A. Black Worker Center, addressed the impact of wage theft on Black Angelenos, linking it to higher rates of homelessness and unemployment among Black workers. He emphasized that income loss is a leading cause of homelessness and substance abuse. Patricia Alvarez Solis, a car washer and member of the CLEAN Car Washer Worker Center, shared her personal experience of facing harassment and unfair wages as an immigrant Latina. She expressed support for the motions introduced by the council members to protect vulnerable workers.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
