Dozens of Los Angeles fast food restaurant workers spent Thursday protesting for higher wages and better working conditions, despite the Labor Party’s recent legislative resistance to the restaurant industry stalling.

More than 100 local fast food workers and union organizers in bright red shirts and placards crowd the steps of a building in downtown Los Angeles that houses the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in the morning, late was scheduled to hold protests at each restaurant. Day.

“We are fighting for our lives,” said one worker as the crowd cheered.

But in Sacramento, at least for now, that battle has stalled. That’s because one side got stuck in a state Senate committee.

Congress Bill 1228 The bill aims to hold fast food companies accountable for ensuring that franchisees comply with labor laws, so that violations of employment laws by franchisees can be enforced equally against franchisors and franchisees. It is intended to Food industry officials such as the International Franchise Association strongly oppose the measure, saying it will hurt small business owners who own franchises of large companies such as McDonald’s.

The highly controversial bill introduced this year represents the latest iteration of the multi-year battle between organized workers and fast food companies over control of workplace standards.

But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Tom Amberg said in parliament on Tuesday that the bill was taken off the agenda by its proponents.

The decision to withdraw the bill was made to give opponents more time to talk to the drafters, according to the United Nations of California Service Workers, the bill’s lead proponent. Amberg said he plans to reintroduce it at a public hearing in August or September.

Rep. Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), the bill’s author, said the decision to reschedule the bill’s judicial hearing was “a positive one.”

“I respect the space that is being offered for deeper investigation and, as a former franchise owner, but also as a legislator who has spoken with fast food workers across the state, can serve as a resource for clarity. I look forward to it,” he said. said in his emailed statement. “We have an opportunity to create a safer and more respectful working environment for these workers while improving the industry as a whole, and that is what we are working on.”

Unions said they wanted the bill to be put forward for a vote in August rather than later.

“California leaders have listened to fast food workers who have been speaking out for years about exploitative and abusive conditions in the fast food industry,” said SEIU California and SEIU United Services. Workers West president David Huerta said. “We are confident that Congress and government are fully committed to bringing greater accountability to this industry.”

Opponents of the bill called AB 1228 a “dramatic bill” that would “fundamentally destroy” California’s franchise model by forcing national fast food companies to tighten control over local franchised restaurants. I ridicule it.

According to a statement from the Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants Coalition, a coalition of fast food companies and industry associations, this will “transform locally owned and operated restaurants into corporate restaurants, with local restaurant owners to deprive them of their authority as small business owners.” .

The California Chamber of Commerce has labeled AB 1228 and other employee-centric bills as: “Those who kill their jobs”

According to a SEIU news release on Thursday, the union said Thursday it will offer a series of bans for fast food workers who are “fed up” with rampant labor law violations in the industry and who don’t have time to wait for the arduous legislative process. organized a meeting of to play.

Trey McGuire, 19, who works at Wienerschnitzel’s Lancaster hot dog chain, said working long 12-hour shifts and making little money was frustrating and difficult. He is under pressure to earn enough to support his 20-month-old child. And he is about to have another child with his partner, who is six months pregnant.

McGuire and his family gathered at a protest outside the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce wearing matching red ‘FAST FOOD WORKERS UNIDOS’ T-shirts distributed by the union.

McGuire said that the owner of the store where he works seems to have two Teslas, which certainly doesn’t help workers feel valued.

“He always drives a different car to work three days a week,” McGuire said. “It makes us want to work harder and fight for what’s ours.”