• [ network ]
  • goatmatrix.net
  • gvid.tv
  • img.gvid.tv
  • games.gvid.tv
  • apps.gvid.tv
HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

In California, Protecting Workers Means Outlawing Their Jobs

Views:1057
@ReasonVids

Assembly Bill 5 was designed to constrain the growth of the so-called gig economy. In practice, it's closing off opportunities

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/reasontv
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magaz...
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason
Subscribe to our podcast at Apple Podcasts: https://goo.gl/az3a7a

"As a freelancer, I have the flexibility to do work while I'm at school, or do work late at night, or, you know, not work that week because I'm busy," Kassy Dillon, a journalist and graduate student at Pepperdine University, told Reason in late 2019.

On January 1, 2020, earning that extra cash got a lot more difficult. California Assembly Bill 5 was designed to constrain the growth of the so-called gig economy, based on the theory that companies like Uber, Lyft, and Postmates are taking advantage of contract labor.

Dozens of professions, including many jobs in health care, commercial fishing, grant writing, hair styling, and the fine arts, are exempt from the law. Journalists were allotted a partial exemption of 35 submissions per year per client, which was negotiated by the bill's author, California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D–80th District).

"Was it a little arbitrary," Gonzalez told the The Hollywood Reporter regarding how she came up with that number, "Yeah. Writing bills with numbers like that are a little bit arbitrary." (Gonzalez declined Reason's interview request.)

Vox, which had hailed the new law as a "victory for workers everywhere," announced in December that it will be ending contracts with more than 200 freelancers who lived in or covered California. Those 200 freelance contracts will be replaced with 20 part-time or full-time staff positions.

"This is a really unusual position for people in creative fields like freelance journalism to be in," says Randy Dotinga, a San Diego-based freelance journalist and the former president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. "By nature, most of us are liberal, progressive Democrats. We're also pro-union for the most part. And here we are saying this goes too far."

Journalists "might write on a blog post in 20 minutes and they might write dozens of blog posts every month or every year," says Dotinga. "A lot of publications don't have the resources to put someone like that on staff. So they're either going to be limited in what they can write or they're just going to be let go." The American Society of Journalists and Authors has filed a lawsuit arguing that the bill is unconstitutional.

If regulating freelancers is a good idea, why were there so many vaguely defined exemptions written directly into the text of the law? In the lead-up to its passage, most lip service was paid to the plight of Uber and Lyft drivers.

Veena Dubal, a law professor at the University of California Hastings, thinks that drivers are mis-classified as independent contractors. "If you have such little bargaining power with the folks that you're consulting with or you're freelancing for," says Dubal, "then it's exploitative."

Uber and Lyft maintain that drivers have flexible schedules and are therefore correctly classified as independent contractors. And 95 percent of California's Uber and Lyft drivers say that the job's flexibility is "extremely" or "very" important to them.

Coral Itzcalli, a spokesperson for Mobile Workers Alliance, which is trying to unionize the industry, says that Uber and Lyft "are paying workers very little wages. You're looking at workers driving 14, 16 hours a day. There's no flexibility in that."

But California Lyft drivers spend an average of 3 hours per week on the app. And according to a 2019 study commissioned by Lyft, the company will likely have to end its arrangements with around 250,000 drivers, and the part-timers, who make up the majority, would be the first to go. 

"For us," says Itzcalli, "this is about focusing on ensuring that jobs are good jobs. If we have one or 100 jobs that are paying less than minimum wage, there is absolutely no benefit. I would rather have 50 good jobs than a 100 bad paying jobs."

But who gets to make that choice? The labor movement or the freelancers taking those jobs?

"I hope that there's some way that the labor movement can look at freelancers of all types, and say this is a valid, honorable profession," says Randy Dotinga. "We are workers too. And many of us choose this field. We are not exploited. We don't exploit others. We're not scabs. We're small businesses and we deserve to be treated that way."

Produced by John Osterhoudt. Camera by Osterhoudt, Zach Weissmueller, and James Marsh.

Photo credit: Vito Di Stefano/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Hayne Palmour Iv/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Earnie Grafton/ZUMApress/Newscom; Charlie Neuman/ZUMA Press/Newscom; KM2/Ken McCoy / WENN/Newscom; Andre Jenny Stock Connection Worldwide/Newscom; Chuck Myers/ZUMA Press/Newscom; ID 42987615 © trekandshoot | Dreamstime.com

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
ab5
    Thumbnail for Alexander Hamilton's Influence on Free Press Law: Free Speech Rules (Episode 10)4:18
    Alexander Hamilton's Influence on Free Press Law: Free Speech Rules (Episode 10)
    ReasonVids
    957 views
    Thumbnail for but but but my 6 gorillian!!!! 6:27
    but but but my 6 gorillian!!!!
    bestofupgoat
    376 views
    Thumbnail for Rabbi Hibbie Phinklestine tells us how the cabal put human meat in McDonalds 202210:04
    Rabbi Hibbie Phinklestine tells us how the cabal put human meat in McDonalds 2022
    AOUisgay
    606 views
    Thumbnail for Russia too busy, maybe next time.0:34
    Russia too busy, maybe next time.
    bestofupgoat
    300 views
    Thumbnail for Well, That Settles It. All of the Pictures and Videos I Have Seen of the Jew Tunnels Were Just Mass Psychosis. Never Happened. 0:25
    Well, That Settles It. All of the Pictures and Videos I Have Seen of the Jew Tunnels Were Just Mass Psychosis. Never Happened.
    bestofupgoat
    143 views
    Thumbnail for Comedy, Outrage, and College: What We Saw at the "Can We Take a Joke?" Premiere3:20
    Comedy, Outrage, and College: What We Saw at the "Can We Take a Joke?" Premiere
    ReasonVids
    994 views
    Thumbnail for 10/10 tits0:46
    10/10 tits
    voatcatbox
    538 views
    Thumbnail for Easy Heart Health System in Unity | BMo16:03
    Easy Heart Health System in Unity | BMo
    tech.topic
    658 views
    Thumbnail for This looks like some of you goats having fun0:19
    This looks like some of you goats having fun
    bestofupgoat
    119 views
    Thumbnail for Jonathan Haidt Debates Robby Soave on Social Media1:24:14
    Jonathan Haidt Debates Robby Soave on Social Media
    ReasonVids
    972 views
    Thumbnail for Marty Klein: America's War on Sex4:17
    Marty Klein: America's War on Sex
    ReasonVids
    1003 views
    Thumbnail for 6 Minute PAUSE MENU Unity Tutorial | BMo6:09
    6 Minute PAUSE MENU Unity Tutorial | BMo
    tech.topic
    682 views
    Thumbnail for Kepar Gui du Lundi 18 Novembre 2024 Sur Walf Fm 99.0 | Walfadjri TV2:13:43
    Kepar Gui du Lundi 18 Novembre 2024 Sur Walf Fm 99.0 | Walfadjri TV
    invidious
    191 views
    Thumbnail for Homer's Lifelong/Boyhood Dreams2:05
    Homer's Lifelong/Boyhood Dreams
    clips
    1004 views
    Thumbnail for Remy: Better Now? (Post Malone Parody)1:55
    Remy: Better Now? (Post Malone Parody)
    ReasonVids
    863 views
    Thumbnail for The Poo Storm original content0:40
    The Poo Storm original content
    bestofupgoat
    415 views
    Thumbnail for Odin's ravens destroy Israeli flags.2:19
    Odin's ravens destroy Israeli flags.
    AOUisgay
    610 views
    Thumbnail for Miggas finna get blasted over some eggs nawfeelme nigguh0:23
    Miggas finna get blasted over some eggs nawfeelme nigguh
    bestofupgoat
    151 views
    Thumbnail for LA County Jail Officers Charged with Federal Crimes; Jail Monitors Respond4:58
    LA County Jail Officers Charged with Federal Crimes; Jail Monitors Respond
    ReasonVids
    1011 views
    Thumbnail for Chips Ahoy Gets Woke! Virtue Signals About Diversity; FAILS MISERABLY!8:58
    Chips Ahoy Gets Woke! Virtue Signals About Diversity; FAILS MISERABLY!
    AOUisgay
    517 views
    Thumbnail for Is Hillary Clinton Right That The Rich Don't Pay Their "Fair Share" of Taxes?1:32
    Is Hillary Clinton Right That The Rich Don't Pay Their "Fair Share" of Taxes?
    ReasonVids
    911 views
    Thumbnail for Why The Huawei Watch Is Different | Mrwhosetheboss0:38
    Why The Huawei Watch Is Different | Mrwhosetheboss
    invidious
    151 views
    Thumbnail for How Medical Pot Is Helping Seniors Get Off (Prescription) Drugs5:48
    How Medical Pot Is Helping Seniors Get Off (Prescription) Drugs
    ReasonVids
    917 views
    Thumbnail for Hey hey, "What do you want government" 0:12
    Hey hey, "What do you want government"
    bestofupgoat
    157 views
    Thumbnail for Cato's David Lampo: Why the GOP Should Embrace Gay Rights5:46
    Cato's David Lampo: Why the GOP Should Embrace Gay Rights
    ReasonVids
    959 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
ab5
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle