Restaurants move to stop new California fast food worker law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Restaurant owners moved Wednesday to at least temporarily block a nation-leading new California law giving more power to fast food workers.

The owners want the state's voters to ultimately decide the law's fate.

A coalition calling itself Protect Neighborhood Restaurants filed a referendum request with the state attorney general, the first step before the law's opponents can begin gathering signatures. If they get enough, the law that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Monday, Labor Day, wouldn't take effect unless it's supported by a majority of voters.

If it stands, the law will create a 10-member Fast Food Council with equal numbers of workers’ delegates and employers’ representatives, along with two state officials, who will be empowered to set minimum standards for wages, hours and working conditions in California.

The law will raise consumer costs, isn't needed, and will create “a fractured economy” with different regulations for different types of restaurants, objected the coalition. The coalition is co-chaired by the International Franchise Association and the National Restaurant Association, but organizers said it includes small business owners, restaurateurs, franchisees, employees, consumers, and community-based organizations.

“As a result of backroom politicking, Governor Newsom has signed a lie into law and maligned all of California’s quick service small businesses and local franchisees as bad employers," the group said.

It said Newsom, a Democrat, signed the bill against the advice of his own Department of Finance “to curry favor with special interest groups and organized labor.”

Newsom's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

“It is saddening that the industry is looking for a way out of providing a seat at the...