On this edition of Your Call, we’re discussing California Senate Bill 1399, which is being voted on tomorrow. The bill would guarantee the state's minimum wage for garment workers. They are currently paid per piece.
According to the Garment Worker Center, Los Angeles has the highest concentration of garment industry workers in the country. Some 2,000 manufacturers employ more than 45,000 people, mostly immigrant women, who work 10 to 12 hours a day and make as little as $150 - $200 a week. Workers are demanding to be paid by the hour.
Guest:
Marissa Nuncio, director of the Garment Worker Center
Web Resources:
NY Times, Natalie Kitroeff: Fashion Nova's Secret: Underpaid Workers in Los Angeles Factories