Days after signing into law a historic $20 minimum wage bill for fast food workers, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill to help striking workers.

The New York Times reports:

“Gov. Gavin Newsom of California vetoed legislation on Saturday that would have allowed workers to collect unemployment pay while on strike, disappointing union leaders who had hoped to capitalize on a wave of high-profile walkouts during the state’s ‘hot labor summer‘ this year.

Labor unions hold more sway in California than in most other states, with an electorate dominated by Democrats and a large roster of liberal officeholders who rely on union support. But California, with its high costs of living, is an expensive place to go on strike without income.

Employers are often able to simply wait out a labor action, knowing that the lost income alone will force unionized workers back to the bargaining table. Hollywood writers repeatedly expressed this concern during their recent strike, which lasted nearly five months before a tentative contract agreement was announced Sept. 24.

This bill, backed by the California Labor Federation and an assortment of unions while opposed by the state Chamber of Commerce and various business associations, would have given workers more leverage in contract negotiations by making it less costly to strike.”

For the rest of the story, visit The New York Times here.