Dear Take Action supporter,

Those shiny cars crusing across California’s highways create dirty problems every day for thousands of exploited car wash workers.

For too long, workers who wash and polish our cars have toiled in unsafe conditions, and are often victimized by unscrupulous owners. The Car Wash Worker Law, implemented in 2006, attempted to protect some of the state’s most vulnerable workers, but now the law is about to expire.

An updated version of the law, passed by California legislators, is in the hands of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- and it needs your support to ensure car wash workers will continue to have sorely need protections. The law requires all car washes to register with the state, to post and pay a bond, and post a fee into the “Car Wash Worker Restitution Fund,” with the bond and the fund providing workers with a means to collect wages if an employer is unwilling or unable to pay. If the governor vetoes AB 236, the small gains made for car wash workers across California will be lost and they will have a tougher time  recovering unpaid wages.

Please take a moment today to send Gov. Schwarzenegger a letter urging him to sign AB 236 into law. It’s up to us to ensure that the rights of workers who help sustain the California lifestyle are not imperiled.

Subject: Prevent the Exploitation of Car Wash Workers

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

Re: AB 236 (Swanson) -- Support
I urge you to sign AB 236, the Car Wash Worker Law, which would extend the sunset on protections and remedies for car wash workers exploited by unscrupulous employers.

Among other provisions, this bill would preserve the requirement that car wash employers maintain the records of workers? wages, hours, and working conditions and register with the state -- including posting a surety bond and fees. The bond and fees would be used to create a fund intended for workers denied wages or worker's compensation by their employers.

AB 236 ensures that workers receive the minimum wage and the benefit of other labor standards enforced by the California Labor Commissioner and I believe that these protections will help improve working conditions for workers in an industry where violations of the state's labor laws are rampant. Despite the 2006 implementation of the original legislation that contained these protections (AB 1688, 2003), labor violations in the car wash industry continue to be severe and widespread.

By extending the sunset date, AB 236 will take a significant step toward achieving the goals of the 2003 legislation: ensure that car wash workers are protected and that there is a level playing field for legitimate law-abiding businesses.

For these reasons I ask that you sign AB 236.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]