San Diego Program Helps Wage Theft Victims Recover Money They're Owed

Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, May 20, 2024:

• Workers who are cheated on their paychecks often don’t recover the wages they are owed, even after state regulators rule in their favor and ordered their employers to pay. Part of the challenge for many wage-theft victims is that they are essentially left on their own to try to collect their debt. Now, in San Diego County, a first-of-its-kind government program is helping workers recover those lost wages.
• Graduate student workers at the University of California, Santa Cruz are going on strike Monday. UAW Local 4811, the union representing 48,000 employees across the UC system, says members voted to strike due to campus crackdowns on pro-Palestinian encampments and protests.    
• The California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Tuesday in a case that could change the fate of more than 1 million gig workers in the state. This is a new challenge to Proposition 22, the 2020 ballot initiative that classified gig workers as independent contractors.  
• The California Republican Party held its statewide convention this weekend in Burlingame. State GOP officials said they’re gearing up to protect a handful of competitive congressional seats this fall. Meanwhile, at the annual state Democratic executive board convention, the party endorsed a number of statewide measures that might appear on the November ballot.

San Diego Aims to Help Wage-Theft Victims Recover Money Owed

San Diego County is stepping up efforts to help residents recover wages they’re owed while fronting them up to $3,000 through a new Workplace Justice Fund.

Over the last decade, thousands of wage claims have remained unpaid even after state authorities ruled in favor of workers and ordered their employers to pay. Part of the challenge for many wage-theft victims is that they are essentially left on their own to try to collect that debt, a process that can be time-consuming and onerous.

To support dozens of low-income workers who are waiting for unpaid wage judgments, San Diego County’s Workplace Justice Fund has distributed roughly $100,000. San Diego’s debt collections agency then also takes on their cases and works to get them paid.

UC Santa Cruz Academic Workers On Strike Monday

Academic workers and researchers at UC Santa Cruz are walking off the job Monday. This is likely to be the first of a series of strike actions from union workers at University of California campuses.

Members of UAW 4811, which represents about 48,000 graduate students and academic workers across the UC system, voted last week to authorize a rolling strike in response to the university system’s recent handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campuses.

Union members are alleging their rights have been violated in the crackdowns on pro-Palestinian protests on campuses. But UC officials maintain the strike would be unlawful because it would violate the existing contract with the union, and have warned that anyone who participates will face repercussions.

State Supreme Court To Hear Case Challenging Proposition 22

A big case goes before the California Supreme Court on Tuesday that could affect more than a million gig workers in the state.

Four years ago, voters approved Proposition 22, a ballot measure sponsored by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart that allowed the companies to continue treating their ride-hailing drivers and delivery workers as independent contractors. Proposition 22 was the industry’s response to Assembly Bill 5, a state law that codified a state Supreme Court decision that would have required the companies to classify those workers as employees.

Treating gig workers as independent contractors is central to the business model of the California-based companies, the middlemen who gave rise to the on-demand, app-based gig economy that has permeated our culture. The companies are fighting to hang on to that model, saying it helps them provide gig workers with flexible schedules. Critics say it lets the companies avoid paying employment taxes and shift financial responsibility to their workers and customers, plus governments.

State Republican Party  Looks To Protect Congressional Seats

The state Republican Party held its annual convention in the Bay Area over the weekend.

Among the topics – protecting a handful of competitive seats in the House of Representatives this fall. In 2022, Republicans won a handful of closely contested congressional seats that helped the party win control of the House. 

Meanwhile, leaders with the California Democratic Party endorsed a number of measures that could appear on the November ballot.