On May 30, the New York City Council signed Intro. 1387, which bans on-call scheduling practices in the retail industry, into law. RWDSU/UFCW members rallied in support of Intro. 1387 in March, and RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum also testified at the New York City Council’s hearing in support of the ban.
Under Intro. 1387, employers will no longer be allowed to schedule workers to be on-call, and will not be able to cancel a shift within 72 hours of the start of the shift except under extreme conditions, such as a natural disaster. With worker consent, employers will be able to add a shift within 72 hours. Employers will also be held accountable for any violations.
“RWDSU is committed to raising job standards across industries and occupations,” said Appelbaum, in reaction to the passage of the legislation on May 24. “On-call scheduling is a pervasive and exploitive employment practice where workers do not find out until just before a scheduled shift if they will be required to work or not. Today’s passage of Intro. 1387 by the New York City Council and the Speaker is a critical step in helping workers gain more control over their own lives and their ability to earn a living. When Mayor DeBlasio signs the bill into law, it will set a national precedent that will help retail workers not just survive in this country, but thrive.”