(SACRAMENTO) – Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 1897 into law Sunday. The new law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2015, will hold companies accountable for serious violations of the rights of workers on their premises that are committed by their own labor suppliers.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa issued this statement:

“We applaud Gov. Jerry Brown for his action to protect workers in California. By signing AB 1897 into law, temporary workers in California are better protected and a loophole that enabled employers to cheat workers has closed,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. 

“Today marks a new era for worker protection in California. No longer can employers hide behind unscrupulous labor contractors. Workers, no matter if they are temporary or permanent, can hold companies who profit from their labor accountable for violations in the workplace.”

Taylor Farms, the poster child for this legislation, is the world’s largest salad processor, supplying to McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Subway, Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden and Red Lobster), and many other restaurant and food chains. At its processing plant in Tracy, a majority of the people who do the work actually are employed by two temporary staffing agencies and not by Taylor Farms. One of these agencies, known as Slingshot, has its office on the company’s premises, and Taylor is its only customer.

The bill, which was authored by Asm. Roger Hernandez and co-sponsored by the California Labor Federation, passed out of the legislature at the end of August.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org  for more information. Follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.

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