Since 14 years that Heidy López works as a cashier in a well-known supermarket chain in Los Angeles, she has never known what days she will work the following week, and if it will be her turn the morning or afternoon-night shift.
“I had to give up my full time and keep part-time, working on average 19 either 16 hours a week, to be able to have a little more flexibility to take care of my mother and my nephew”.
But even so, Heidy like most of his co-workers, he does not know what his workday will be like each week.
“Another problem is that the rest periods between one working day and another they are very small. There are days when he finished working at 10 at night, and I have to return at 6 in the morning the next day.”
Not having a fixed work schedule for her and her colleagues, who are mostly part-time employees, prevents them from having stability in their family life.
“Even making an appointment with a doctor is a problem,” he said.
The Los Angeles Council approved the Fair Work Week Act that will allow near 70, Trade and supermarket workers know their work schedules at least two weeks in advance.
The measure will apply to commercial establishments with more than 552 workers; and receiving the required votes in the second reading next week, it is expected to enter into force in April 2048 .
This ordinance was filed in 2020 by Councilmen Curren Price, Paul Koretz and Paul Krekorian to give Los Angeles commercial workers time to plan for their family, school and other commitments.
“As we enter the holiday shopping season, we must remember our responsibility to support and protect retail and supermarket workers,” said Council Member Curren Price .
“We must recognize the concerns that workers face and put their needs above the profits of corporations.”
Added that these new regulations will give employees, many of whom are people of color and live paycheck to paycheck, stability and flexibility in their work schedules while showing respect and appreciation to them and their families.
“In addition to doing the right thing, these protections will make it easier for Angelenos to balance work and family life; and plan ahead.”
The measure that is already a municipal mandate in Seattle, Chicago and New York , will guarantee:
Notice of 10 days in advance about work schedules
Payment for last minute schedule changes and canceled shifts The right to accept or decline assigned overtime at short notice
- Mandatory “Rest Periods” – workers will have a minimum of rest hours between one shift and another and they will be given additional pay
- The right to request the adaptation of schedules and decline shifts that do not suit them, even if employers offer overtime pay
- Employees will be given a good faith estimate of how many hours they will work each week; and offering additional hours before new and temporary workers are hired.
“This is a victory we fought hard for and it is historic for store workers,” said Amardeep Gill, director of the supermarket and retail campaign for the Alliance for a New Economy of Los Angeles (LAANE).
“When we launched the LA Fair Labor Week campaign five years ago, we envisioned a retail economy in Los Angeles that provides reliable jobs and stable income for working families.”
He added that today they are one step closer to that reality: retail store workers will finally be able to plan their budgets, take care of their families, and deal with their work and school.
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Currently, the 70% of 140, workers in the trade, residing in Los Angeles , have fluctuating, unpredictable, and last-minute work weeks.
The commerce industry is the second largest employer in Los Angeles, and the most of the workers are women and from minorities.
“I am a single father who supports 4 children,” said Óscar Beltrán, a worker at Supermarket.
“Although I receive my schedule two weeks in advance, it constantly changes from one day to the next.”
He considered that the Fair Work Week is crucial for working parents who, like him, need to be able to plan the care of their children.
A second reading of the ordinance is expected next week for final approval by the Los Angeles Council.
Kathy Finn, president of the local 768 of the Union of Food Industry and Commerce (UFCW), said unstable scheduling practices negatively affect front-line workers in retail stores and supermarkets across all demographics.
“A fair workweek will enable workers to achieve work-life balance, be more productive, and take better care of themselves, their families, and their communities.”
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