Many of you may have already heard the news that on Saturday, Governor Newsom signed SB 1350.
We embrace this with deep gratitude and love for the tireless leadership year after year of all the members and organizations who are part of the California Domestic Workers Coalition.
After citing concerns about private households, the governor twice vetoed earlier bills that would have offered health and safety protections to ALL domestic workers. We’re glad to see that the Governor has now signed a bill that will ensure health and safety protections to a portion of those workers.
SB 1350 is an important step forward for domestic worker health and safety. Federal law requires that state-run safety plans be at least as effective as Federal OSHA; but this hasn’t happened on the state level. Now SB 1350 will bring California into compliance with Federal law and give the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) a clear mandate to protect the more than 175,000 domestic workers who work for homecare, cleaning, or nanny agencies.
We know that this bill is not everything that our coalition wants. That said, the bill is a positive step in the direction of our ultimate goal: to secure health and safety rights for all domestic workers.. We have a lot of work ahead of us – to implement this win and advance our movement and work further. We will continue to advocate until all domestic workers in California receive the dignity and rights that they deserve. The fierceness, drive and commitment that embodies our members will continue to help move us forward.
As Norma Miranda, domestic worker and member leader at Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) told us: “I’ve been fighting for 10 years for worker protections. I’m a luchadora. I don’t like injustice and I am not timid. I can’t just think of myself. We are many and we will keep fighting for worker rights. No matter what happens.”
La lucha sigue.
Adelante,
Kimberly Alvarenga
Director