LOS ANGELES—Today, the Safety Net for All Coalition, State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, and Assemblymembers Miguel Santiago and Reggie Jones-Sawyer held a press conference in support of SB 227, a groundbreaking bill introduced yesterday that would expand unemployment benefits to all workers in California.
California’s undocumented workers’ taxed wages contribute an estimated $485 million to the unemployment insurance system in the state annually. SB 227 would create the first-ever Excluded Worker Program in California and ensure that every worker and family has access to a financial safety net in case of job loss. The bill—galvanized by immigrant workers across the country—builds on the momentum created by similar programs in New York, New Jersey, Washington, Iowa, and Colorado. The Coalition also calls on state officials to include funding for the program in the state budget.
The Los Angeles Worker Center Network (LAWCN), a member of the Safety Net for All Coalition, issued the following statements:
“The Los Angeles Worker Center Network is proud to be a member of the Safety Net for All Coalition as part of our continued commitment to supporting all California workers, particularly immigrant workers, whose economic contributions are essential in keeping our economy going,” said Armando Gudino, executive director of LAWCN.
“SB 227 is common sense policy for the state and all California working families who built and operate the world’s fourth largest economy, by fortifying worker safety nets to include the most vulnerable Calfornians,” said Ernesto Hidalgo, policy director at LAWCN.
The Safety Net for All Coalition is comprised of over 120 immigrant and worker rights organizations across California from regions including the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, the Bay Area, Sacramento, and the Southern Border.