On Tuesday, May 5, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved two motions authored by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and endorsed by the Los Angeles Worker Center Network (LAWCN) that significantly expand the County’s worker protection and responsible procurement work. The Reclaiming Wages for Workers through Worker-Centric Approaches motion directs the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs to expand its co-enforcement model with worker centers, pursue fee-collection authority under SB 261 and AB 3075, launch a public dashboard of adjudicated wage theft cases, and prioritize enforcement in the highest-violation low-wage industries. The companion Made in Los Angeles Program Pilot directs the Internal Services Department and the Department of Economic Opportunity to design a twelve-month pilot that uses the County’s $6–8 billion in annual purchasing power to support local manufacturers meeting responsible labor standards.
Most importantly, the motions build on the County’s co-enforcement partnerships with worker centers, explicitly naming the Los Angeles Worker Center Network among the organizations advising enforcement strategy and strengthening referrals on the County’s worker-protection ordinances.
“We appreciate the Board of Supervisors’ vote in support of the motions to strengthen worker protections earlier this week. This builds on the strong partnership already underway between the County and community organizations like the Los Angeles Worker Center Network. Together, we will continue strengthening worker protections, supporting local manufacturing, and advancing a more strategic and worker-centered enforcement system across Los Angeles County,” said Armando Gudino, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Worker Center Network.
“This motion is a smart investment because every dollar recovered goes back into the pockets of workers,” said Daisy Gonzalez of the Garment Worker Center. “Also, we are in support of using county purchasing powers to support local, responsible businesses.”
To learn more and get involved, email mjuur@lawcnetwork.org.