For years, fast food workers across the United States have rallied for better pay and working conditions.

What do we want?

When do we want it?

Now.

If we don't get it, let it go.

If we don't get it.

In California last summer, the state legislature listened.

The California State Senate advanced the measure that would give more than a half million fast food workers more power and protections.

But the law hasn't been instituted yet.

The bill would create a new 10-member fast food council that would be empowered to set minimum standards for wages, hours, and working conditions in California.

The fast food industry gathered enough signatures to put a statewide ballot initiative

on the 2024 ballot in the hopes of overturning it. Californians have a unique style of democracy

for most other U.S. states and that if someone gathers enough signatures, they can put anything,

and I mean anything, to a statewide vote and make it a law if it passes. It's led to good and bad things over the past century.

But in recent years, major corporations have used a ballot initiative to basically throw an election day tantrum.

I'm Gustavo Riano. You're listening to The Times, essential news, from the L.A. Times.

It's Wednesday, March 8, 2003.

Today, the political fight over fast food workers in California

and what it says about the future of California's proposition system.

Thank you. Proposition System. Here to talk about all this is my L.A. Times colleague, business reporter Suhanna Hussein.

Suhanna, welcome to the Times.

Thanks for having me.

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