"Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs Garment Worker Protection Act Into Law", 27 September 2021

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Garment Worker Protection Act (known as SB 62) into law.

The bill’s patch-up of the previous law’s loopholes aim to ensure justice and greater protection for the more than 45,000 garment workers, the majority of whom are women of color, in the Los Angeles area...

SB 62 will eliminate piece-rate pay – correlated to the industry’s high rates of wage theft and sub-minimum wages – and issue joint liability so brands, sub-contractors and workers are all brought to the negotiating table...

The days leading up to the bill’s passage were fueled by a rush of advocacy despite earlier opposition from the California Chamber of Commerce and a handful of industry trade organizations. The Los Angeles City Council passed a pro-SB 62 resolution last Friday urging Gov. Newsom to sign the act in a final push. Council president Nury Martinez, as well as council members Mike Bonin, Monica Rodriguez and Nithya Raman, among others, were in support of the resolution...