Kim Cordova and Debbie Medina
Labor unions organize to ensure that workers are treated fairly and with respect. That’s why we wholeheartedly support House Bill 23-1118 — the Fair Workweek Employment Standards Act.
We recognize it’s a win-win for workers and companies alike when workers are happier, healthier and more productive. And one of the most effective ways of ensuring workers have security and feel valued is to provide predictable schedules in advance — and allow them enough rest time in between shifts — so they can manage their lives outside of work.
Corporate employers like Walmart and McDonald’s use “just-in-time” scheduling software to minimize their costs at the expense of their low-wage, hourly workers, who are called into work at the last minute and sent home before the end of their shift. Many also work “clopening” shifts — a night shift followed by an opening shift in the morning, without enough time to rest. These practices place an unacceptable amount of burden onto employees, who are just barely getting by.
About 450,000 Coloradans in retail and food-service jobs — largely women and people of color — don’t know in advance when they’ll work, nor how many hours they’ll work. Unpredictable schedules make workers less productive due to difficulty scheduling child care, school and other responsibilities. Workers face physical and emotional distress when they don’t know their schedule, whether they’ll work enough to pay their bills or whether they’ll be able to pick up their children at school on time. Workers who have to report to work less than 12 hours after their last shift are more likely to be exhausted and more likely to make dangerous mistakes.
Providing predictable schedules strikes the balance of fairness for both workers and employers by working together to create schedules that meet everyone’s needs, including adequate rest time. All workers deserve a stable schedule and to be treated with respect. This proposal ensures that a job is a source of opportunity instead of a source of stress.
Colorado unions know this, which is why we negotiate fair scheduling in our contracts for our members.
However, all workers deserve advance notice of schedules so they can manage their lives inside and outside the workplace, not just union members. Not only does worker solidarity compel us to stand with these workers, but also we’d be delighted to no longer have to negotiate at the bargaining table a basic human right like the right to know your schedule with sufficient notice so we can focus more on advancing the lives of working families in other ways, like earning a living wage and better benefits.
Currently, the Colorado Legislature is considering HB-1118 — the Fair Workweek Employment Standards Act — which will give workers the right to advance scheduling so they can anticipate their hours and pay, know they can support themselves and their families, and contribute fully to their workplace.
Applying only to retail and food/beverage companies with 250 workers or more, some of the bill’s key provisions will require employers to provide schedules 14 days in advance, ensure employees have at least 12 hours of rest time between shifts, and not retaliate against employees who request schedule changes or flexible work. Recent polling shows that 74% of Colorado voters support these common sense policies.
Given that the bill will increase their company’s productivity and profitability make it a no-brainer for businesses, too. We hope our state legislators will consider the struggles of Colorado’s working families when debating and voting on the Fair Workweek Employment Standards Act.
These practices place an unacceptable amount of burden onto employees, who are just barely getting by.
Kim Cordova is vice president of UFCW International and the president of UFCW Local 7. Debbie Medina is president of Communications Workers of America Local 7777.This commentary is republished from Colorado Newsline under a Creative Commons license.
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