By Jenny Davies
Yesterday, the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee voted against House Bill 1118, the ‘Fair Workweek Employment Standards Act’ on an 8-to-2 vote.
A recent poll showed 74 percent of Colorado voters support the Fair Workweek Act.
“Working people deserve to know their schedules and income. They deserve to have regular hours so they can plan their lives and get ahead,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, a bill sponsor. “But while reporting record profits, big corporations continue to deny workers these basic rights. I am proud to have brought this policy forward and will always stand with working people in the fight for better wages and working conditions.”
“I’m disappointed that the Fair Workweek Act fell short this year, even though sponsors and the coalition tried to find compromises with the opposition,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, a bill sponsor. “It looks like well-heeled, industry lobbyists won this year, leaving low-wage workers at the mercy of unpredictable schedules that put their health at risk, interfere with their family responsibilities and jeopardize their economic stability.”
Despite what some business leaders said, the bill would have applied only to retail, food and beverage establishments, and food and beverage manufacturing facilities with 250 or more employees. The bill would have provided predictable schedules and adequate rest time between shifts for workers at these companies who live on the edge because their employers keep them in the dark about when they’ll work, how long they’ll work and how much they’ll earn.
“Juggling classes, internships and work without a car was hard enough, but when my employer sent me home early, it was demoralizing,” said Britany Lopez, a first generation college student who has worked in food service for years. “Not only was my time not respected, but when my boss took away those hours, it meant that I didn’t earn enough to pay my bills.”
Even though research shows workers with stable schedules are more productive at work – and their companies are more profitable, corporate employers regularly call in low-wage, hourly workers at the last minute and often send them home early. This puts an untenable burden on families trying to schedule childcare and medical appointments and those trying to make ends meet with unpredictable paychecks. Workers with unstable schedules experience physical stress, depression, financial instability, and sleep problems.
“It is always unfortunate to miss an opportunity to do right by workers, but we are particularly troubled by the role misinformation played in undermining the Fair Workweek Act this year,” said Nina DiSalvo, policy director at Towards Justice, a nonprofit law firm that advocates in collaboration with workers. “Our coalition is committed to dispelling misinformation and to finding policy solutions that empower workers and employers to create predictable schedules, predictable incomes, and a healthy and stable workforce.”
The Colorado Fair Workweek Coalition is committed to advancing fairness in the workplace for all Coloradans. More than 30 groups are members, including ACLU of Colorado, CLLARO, Colorado Education Association, Communications Workers of America, Colorado Children’s Campaign, Towards Justice and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7.
Jenny Davies writes for Progressive-promotions.com
The Pagosa Daily Post welcomes submissions, photos, letters and videos from people who love Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Call 970-903-2673 or email pagosadailypost@gmail.com