GCA Tackles AB633
The future of Los Angeles’ apparel industry under the proposed regulations for Assembly Bill 633 was the topic of discussion at the Garment Contractors Association (GCA) general meeting on Jan. 23 at Taix Restaurant in Los Angeles.
GCA’s executive director, Joe Rodriguez, led a group forum that addressed the possible conflicts for the industry stemming from certain measures in the current regulations. Increased registration fees for garment contractors and manufacturers, maintaining accurate record-keeping procedures and providing quarterly reports for businesses were among the attendees’ concerns.
“I think there is certainly a need to educate garment-business people about labor laws because there’s a large number who still do not know what is involved with these laws and regulations,” Rodriguez said. “Then they can act in a unified way to challenge these laws and regulations if they don’t agree with them.”
Andrea B. Kune, deputy director of management for the Department of Industrial Relations, attended the meeting on behalf of her department and advised the group to “speak up” and get others to voice their concerns so “their comments will be incorporated” into the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement’s (DLSE) final draft of the regulations.
DLSE attorney Miles E. Locker, who did not attend the meeting, said the division is coming extremely close to publishing a proposed final version. He said that after the proposals are completed they will be sent to the state office of administrative law for approval. Afterwards, the public will have 15 days to review the final draft and offer their concerns.
Locker, who led public hearings a few months ago in Northern California and downtown Los Angeles, said his department is optimistic about a favorable response from the garment industry. “We believe several concerns that were addressed at previous public meetings will be addressed and certain changes will result,” he said.
Rodriguez said his association will most likely offer seminars and conferences on how to cope and manage businesses under the new regulations once they are set in motion. —Claudia Figueroa
