Fast Food Fair Work Ordinance

It’s Time for Fair Work in Fast Food

With nearly 26,000 cooks, cashiers, and cleaners, across 1,300 locations, Santa Clara County’s fast food industry contributes substantially to the county’s workforce and economy. Their work feeds hundreds of thousands of people and generates profits for the growing, billion-dollar fast food industry, yet frontline fast food workers struggle with unstable jobs and often unsafe conditions. The industry’s poor working conditions have ripple effects across our communities, and contribute to issues such as housing instability and homelessness. 

ABOUT THE FAST FOOD FAIR WORK ORDINANCE

The Fast Food Fair Work Ordinance will enable cities in Santa Clara County to solve rampant labor law violations by providing training to workers so they know how they can enforce their legal rights, receive the unpaid wages they’re due, and obtain never-before-received paid time off to better address their needs and sustain their families. 

We firmly believe that the Fast Food Fair Work Ordinance can be a transformative force. By guaranteeing workers Know Your Rights Training and Paid Time Off, Santa Clara County has the opportunity to lead in empowering fast food workers and improving their lives, alongside their families, customers, and communities.

The fast food industry rakes in billions, yet front line workers like cooks and cashiers barely make a living.

• Fast food workers frequently experience wage theft, sexual harassment, and dangerous working conditions, including violence, burns, extreme heat, and exposure to toxins.
• A significant portion of California’s homeless population works in the fast food industry – approximately one out of every nine unhoused workers.
• Fast food workers have incredibly unpredictable schedules, making them the least stable jobs in California’s service industry. This instability creates immense stress for workers and their families.
• Fast food workers lack a basic safety net. While inflation drives up costs of living, wages for those in the industry remain stagnant despite corporations posting record profits.

We have the power to change this. California’s AB 257 established a union for fast food workers, offering a powerful tool to combat longstanding exploitation and elevate industry standards. However, for over 80% San José workers, these benefits remain out of reach because they’re not informed of their basic rights.

Workers can’t fight for their rights if they don’t know what they are. The Fast Food Fair Work Ordinance would provide fast food workers training on their rights, and empower them to advocate for safety, dignity and economic stability for themselves.

Bridging the Equity Gap in a Billion-Dollar Industry

In Santa Clara County, 1300 fast food locations are owned by only 400 businesses, and to buy into one of these franchises costs often over $1M per a location, most operators own multiple locations. While women and people of color are overwhelmingly represented in the fast food workforce, these demographics are not reflected in the industry’s ownership. The fast food industry has long faced criticism for the lack of diversity among its franchise owners, and allegations of systematic discrimination against non-white franchisees. Less than 21% of food franchise businesses are owned by people of color and fewer than 15% are owned by women

Fast food business owners can afford to to provide long overdue rights to workers without impacting prices for customers, or their businesses.

Despite what fast food corporations are saying, they can and should invest in the training and education of their workers — like any other industry. By stabilizing fast-food work in our city, we can strengthen retention, increase employment and improve the overall economy without raising the price of food or causing franchisees to go out of business.