AB 5 has been the bane of California’s independent contractors since the day of its conception. Support for its repeal has only grown as working class Californians are sick of being ignored by their legislators, and want to see the people in office address the needs of their constituents.
The bill, designed to require independent contractors to become traditional employees, forces workers such as citizen reporters, Lyft/Uber drivers, photographers, construction workers, event planners, and so on to forgo the flexible schedules that drew them to contracting in the first place.
Now, voters are looking for an alternative to AB 5’s author, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, whose disastrous legislation has more than proven her lack of competence. Republican candidate John Vogel may be just the man they’re looking for.
John Vogel holding a copy of the text of AB 5
He’s worked with labor union members for a long time, listening to their concerns and the type of representation they want in government. Vogel understands why people want to join unions: the benefits they receive are often very useful. However, he’s more than willing to call out the issues, saying “I think that project labor abatement is an obstacle to getting projects done efficiently and at the best cost for the public. Essentially, the bottom line is that individuals ought to be able to choose if they belong to a union and the state shouldn’t restrict that from them.”
His interactions with working class families have also helped him recognize the issues with his opponent’s bill. “I think that AB 5 is fundamentally flawed because it takes away the opportunity for employees or individuals to decide how they work. It’s an overreach by the state intruding into how, when, and where people [are employed]. That’s just not fair and Californians deserve better,” Vogel added.
As an alternative, Vogel proposes repealing AB 5 and replacing it with legislation that protects the rights of workers to choose how to sell their services—a solution which Californians are clearly looking for.
To learn more about John Vogel, visit Vogel4Assembly.com and connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.
