ONE BIG THING: FAST FOOD IN LA, BY THE NUMBERS
What Happened?
Every year, an average of $1.4 billion in wages is stolen from working Angelenos, making wage theft a major contributor to housing insecurity, homelessness, and poverty in Los Angeles.
Now, a stunning new report released by Northwestern University and Rutgers University last month shows horrible ongoing abuse in LA’s fast food industry:
❌ The average fast food worker loses $3,500/year to wage theft – 16% of their annual income.
❌ 1 in 4 fast food workers in LA are paid below minimum wage – an 8x increase over the past 15 years.
❌ $44 million is stolen from LA’s lowest-income workers every year.
❌ 88% of fast food workers don’t know their basic workplace rights.
❌ 12,661 Angelenos are victims of fast food wage theft annually.
Why it Matters
It’s clear that the fast food industry cannot regulate itself. Wage theft disproportionately impacts low-wage workers, women, and people of color, contributing to an increase in income inequality across the board - so when we see so much of this kind of abuse in one industry, we can all agree that something needs to be done.
That’s why last year, we introduced a motion to provide three key protections for fast food workers:
➡️Predictable schedules
➡️Guaranteed time off
➡️”Know Your Rights” Trainings
Fast food corporations, who have benefited from a boost in their profits due to this exploitation, came out fiercely against our motion, spending thousands on lobbyists and online ads. But this week, our motion was approved by the City Council’s Economic Development and Jobs Committee in a 4-0 vote.
What’s Next?
The motion now moves to the full City Council for a vote. If approved, the city will conduct a report on how to implement these protections and assess their impact.
This is a crucial step toward stopping this corporate abuse. Once the report is complete, the Council will need to vote again to make these protections a reality.
Three More Quick Hits
- Workers Affected by Wildfires Eligible for $2,000 in Cash Relief
If your job was impacted by the fires, you may be eligible for $2,000 in direct cash assistance. But you need to act fast because the deadline to apply is this Wednesday, March 12.
You can check eligibility and apply online at lacworkers.aidkit.org/apply in less than 30 minutes, or you can visit one of LA’s Worker Recovery Centers to get personalized face-to-face assistance.
Don’t leave this money on the table – apply now!
- Unarmed Model of Crisis Response Update
Since the launch of the Unarmed Response pilot program, 6,037 calls have been successfully diverted – 96% of them handled entirely without LAPD involvement. Just this month, 941 calls were diverted, with an average response time of 28 minutes, even under strained resources.
This program has been a game-changer, but it’s still just a pilot. We need to expand it citywide to make our communities safer and use our resources where they’re needed most
- Supporting Rebuilding Efforts After L.A. Fires
As debris removal continues in the wake of the L.A. wildfires, property owners are beginning the
next phase: the rebuild. The City of Los Angeles is offering valuable resources to support this
critical recovery effort, including a list of verified general contractors, architects and landscape architects who are ready to assist in rebuilding homes, public spaces, and businesses.
In partnership with the Bureau of Contract Administration (BCA), the City has developed
a list of licensed contractors who have been verified through the Contractors State
License Board (CSLB) and California Architects Board. These professionals are
equipped to handle various rebuild needs, from homes to public spaces.
This list provides easy access to trusted contractors and architects who are licensed and qualified to support rebuilding efforts.
To view the list, visit bca.lacity.gov/rebuildLA.
For more information on the City’s wildfire recovery efforts, including rebuilding
resources and programs, visit emergency.lacity.gov.