The Garment Worker Protection Act (#SB1399) passed by the California Senate on June 25 seeks to guarantee a minimum wage for garment workers in California while dismantling the piece-rate system that currently prevails in the industry.
The Garment Worker Protection Act was authored by Californian Senator Maria Elena Durazo and sponsored by Garment Worker Center, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, the California Labor Federation, and Western Center on Law and Poverty.
According to Remake, a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of factory workers, SB1399 will prevent wage theft by ensuring fashion brands cannot use lawyers or subcontracting to avoid accountability under [the] law.
It will also end wage theft via the piece rate model of payment, a form of payment based on the number of garment pieces sewn in a day versus than by hours worked. The piece-rate makes minimum wage out of reach and pays factory workers well below a livable wage. The bill is seen as a closer step to equality. Further details about the bill can be found on its website.
