California’s minimum wage, one of the highest in the country, is $16 an hour, but fast food restaurant workers in California at chains with more than 60 locations nationwide will earn from four dollars more per hour.
The increase was achieved following pressure from unions and activists who obtained the support of the California Legislature and the governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom, who approved the law in September 2023.
There are currently more than half a million fast food workers in the state, according to data from Newsom’s office.
People employed in this sector earned around US$34,530 per year, according to 2022 data from the US Census Bureau of Labor Statistics, a figure below the state’s poverty line.
However, the average salary for California fast food workers was still higher than the national average.
The fast food sector faces problems retaining its workers, who in past decades were young students, who now prefer other positions.
You may be interested in: Powerball: the millionaire and historic figure to which its jackpot amounted
Given the increase in salaries, some affected chains have announced staff cuts and increased prices to face the increase in salaries.
The new wages come just as California’s unemployment rate has risen. Last February the figure reached 5.3%, surpassing the United States rate of 3.9%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
#California #fast #food #restaurant #workers #receive #pay #raises
