California fast-food workers form a unique union in a bid for higher wages, better working conditions
Mysheka Ronquillo, a cashier and cook at a Carl’s Jr. in Long Beach, is among the many Californian fast-food workers eagerly anticipating a pay raise from $16 to $20 an hour in April. This increase in wages, made possible through a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, will assist Ronquillo in covering her daughter’s education expenses. However, despite the raise, Ronquillo expresses concern that her bills remain difficult to manage due to her unpredictable work schedule. Working anywhere between 24 to 30 hours per week, she highlights the challenges of dealing with constant fluctuations.
To address these issues and advocate for their rights, Ronquillo and approximately 350 other fast-food workers gathered at a rally held at a community center in Watts to inaugurate the California Fast Food Workers Union—the state’s most recent labor organization. This unique union, supported by the powerful Service Employees International Union (SEIU), aims to allow over half a million fast-food workers in California to collectively negotiate as a single sector. Its establishment could potentially serve as a model for other industries throughout the United States.
The birth of the California Fast Food Workers Union is the culmination of numerous demonstrations by employees over several years. These protests have drawn attention to various concerns, including the mishandling of sexual harassment claims, wage theft, safety issues, and inadequate pay. One notable movement is the Fight for $15, initiated by the SEIU in 2012, which campaigns for an increase in the minimum wage.
SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry lauded the California Fast Food Workers Union, praising its leadership, particularly the Black and Latino cooks and cashiers involved. The union has established three key priorities: securing annual wage increases, implementing just-cause protections to prevent arbitrary terminations, and ensuring workers have predictable and sustainable schedules with minimal changes to their working hours.
Unlike traditional unions, the California Fast Food Workers Union adopts a different approach known as a minority union. This strategy allows workers to bypass the arduous process of organizing restaurant by restaurant through a formal election process monitored by the National Labor Relations Board.
The COVID-19 pandemic further contributed to the rise in minority union organizing, especially among essential workers who faced inadequate wages despite being labeled as indispensable. Kent Wong, director of the UCLA Labor Center, highlights both the praise and the reality essential workers encounter, stating that they were celebrated as essential but remained trapped in jobs that paid insufficient wages and offered little respect.
The newly formed California Fast Food Workers Union aims to address these challenges by emphasizing fair compensation, job security, and stable schedules. By advocating for fast-food workers, this unique labor organization seeks to improve not only the lives of its members but also those working in similar industries across the nation.
In conclusion, the California Fast Food Workers Union marks a significant development in the fight for better wages and improved working conditions within the fast-food industry. Mysheka Ronquillo and her colleagues, along with the support of the SEIU, are pioneering a new pathway toward collective bargaining and amplifying the voices of fast-food workers. As the union’s influence grows, it is poised to bring about positive change for workers not only in California but also potentially across the United States.
