IRVINE, CA - After raising nearly $1.5 million from its membership, Western Growers has announced that the committee overseeing the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) ballot fix initiative will no longer be circulating petitions. In a recent update, the organization said this change comes as it is confident it has reached the number of signatures needed to qualify the measure.
“While we were aiming for qualification on the 2022 ballot, given the timing, we will likely qualify for the 2024 ballot,” a message from Dave Puglia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western Growers, read. “Several obstacles slowed down the signature gathering effort, including a shortage of petition circulators and the impacts of the Omicron surge early in the campaign. Regardless, we were able to overcome these challenges and are ready to submit the signatures to the counties for verification.”
The initiative would repeal PAGA, which allows employees to file lawsuits against employers to collect a share of monetary penalties for state labor law violations. According to Puglia’s message, the repeal of PAGA would benefit workers and small businesses across the state of California.
Moving forward, Western Growers will continue to help build out a well-funded, broadly supported campaign that educates voters on these benefits.
Puglia also shared a statement directly from the Californians for Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Committee.
“The message is loud and clear: Californians want better outcomes for aggrieved workers, and this measure will ensure faster resolutions and more money in their pockets without giving a third away to trial lawyers. We look forward to getting this on the 2024 ballot and continuing to educate voters and broaden the coalition in support of this initiative that puts workers’ claims back into the hands of the independent regulator, protects workers’ rights, and stops the endless shakedowns of small businesses.”
To read the rest of Puglia’s message and the statement from Californians for Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Committee, click here.
As more updates on the initiative are released, AndNowUKnow will keep you in the loop.
