California Labor’s 2021 Legislative Agenda focused on recognizing the essential workers who have served our state and communities during an historic pandemic, as well as to help those who have suffered job loss during this time find meaningful opportunities to access good jobs with livable wages and safer working conditions. The pandemic continues to expose workers and their families to dangerous conditions every day and we leaned into our affiliates to ensure that we were supporting policies that helped elevate their work and their working conditions.

Overall, labor had a successful year. We closed out this session having many of the Labor Federation’s priority bills signed into law by Governor Newsom. These bills provided important protections to wages and benefits, organizing and collective bargaining, racial justice, as well as workplace protections.

As California and the nation attempt to “Build Back Better,” the labor movement must remain vigilant on the disparities brought to light by this pandemic: from worker health and safety, access to good paying jobs, and inequities in our health care and justice systems. If the defeat of the Newsom Recall and “Strike-tober” has shown us anything, it is that our success comes from our collective power to mobilize for worker’s rights and hold our elected officials accountable to protect working people.