Progressive Asian American Organizations Respond to Passage of Proposition 22 and Workers Lose Basic Labor Protections
Sacramento, California (November 9, 2020) — Proposition 22 passed in the California November Election. In response, Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus and Chinese Progressive Association issue the following statements:
Aarti Kohli, executive director at Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, states:
“Multi-billion dollar rideshare companies have essentially bought their way out of following the law. As a result, hundreds of thousands of their drivers lose basic labor protections, like the right to minimum wage, overtime, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance benefits. It is particularly shameful for the companies to push for removal of these protections during this global pandemic and economic downturn — a time when safety-net benefits and healthcare for work-related illnesses or injuries should be expanded, not stripped. We will continue to stand by the drivers and explore other options to push back against this blow to their core workplace rights.”
Shaw San Liu, executive director of Chinese Progressive Association, states:
“One in three gig drivers in San Francisco are Asian American and 50% are immigrants. Prop 22 will have a significant impact on Asian immigrant families who are already struggling to survive, especially when the pandemic has exacerbated inequality in our communities. At a time when it is critical for us to protect workers, Uber, Doordash, Lyft, and other gig companies instead have chosen to spend over $200 million dollars to sidestep California law. We will continue to organize to protect workers rights and are proud that San Franciscans soundly rejected Prop 22. It is critical for San Francisco to continue to assert leadership in protecting consumers and small businesses against gig companies’ bad practices.”
About Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus
ALC was founded in 1972 as the nation’s first legal and civil rights Asian American organization. Recognizing that social, economic, political and racial inequalities continue to exist in the United States, ALC is committed to the pursuit of equality and justice for all sectors of our society, with a specific focus directed toward addressing the needs of low-income, immigrant and underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/
About Chinese Progressive Association
The Chinese Progressive Association is a 48 year old grassroots social justice organization based in San Francisco Chinatown and develops the leadership of Chinese immigrant families to be civically engaged and improve their living and working conditions. For over 15 years, CPA has been a leader in workers rights education, policy advocacy and enforcement for working people and families, and strategic community-based enforcement for workers rights. https://www.cpasf.org/