Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest on AB-5, as the bill that would give new wage and benefit protections to workers in the gig economy is sent to Governor Gavin Newsom. We also examine why our healthcare system is so expensive and what can be done to fix it; take a look at the rise of hard seltzer; and more.
Much Remains Unknown As Uber Says It Won’t Reclassify Drivers After AB-5 Is Inevitably Signed By Newsom
California lawmakers sent the governor a bill Wednesday that would give new wage and benefit protections to workers at so-called gig economy companies such as Uber and Lyft where people pick up jobs on their own schedule.
The 56-15 Assembly vote marked a victory for labor unions and a defeat for tech companies that vehemently oppose the proposal. It was previously approved by the state Senate and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he supports it. The measure could have national implications as politicians and businesses confront the changing nature of work in the so-called gig economy. Uber, Lyft and meal delivery companies such as Doordash and Postmates still hope Newsom can negotiate a new proposal with unions that would create a separate set of rules for gig workers. Uber has said it doesn’t plan to reclassify its drivers.
Newsom is committed to continuing talks on refinements, said his spokesman Nathan Click. The bill was approved over strident Republican opposition. The bill has drawn staunch opposition from on-demand delivery and ridesharing companies that say it will effectively kill their business model. They've argued that making their workers employees would limit their ability to work flexible hours.
While its impact on gig economy companies has drawn most of the attention, the bill would affect a wide array of industries. The law lays out a test to decide if workers can be labeled as contractors. But there are still so many unknowns. We continue the discussion around AB-5 on AirTalk.
We reached out to Uber and Lyft and both companies declined our requests for an interview.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Joe Rajkovacz , director of governmental affairs & communications for the Western States Trucking Association (WSTA)
Wendy Musell, an employment lawyer with the firm Stewart & Musell in Emeryville, California
Why American Health Care Is So Expensive And How We Can Fix It
Health care in the U.S. is expensive, and it’s likely even more expensive if you’re living in California.
That’s according to a new Johns Hopkins University study that looked at hospital fees and found that the Golden State has the third highest markup ratio in the U.S. (the top spot goes to Texas).
We talk with one of the researchers, Dr. Marty Makary, about California’s situation, as well as his new book “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care--and How to Fix It,” which dives into all the necessary and unnecessary costs involved in our current health care system and how its bloat can be addressed.
Guest:
Marty Makary M.D., surgeon and professor of health policy at Johns Hopkins University; his new book is “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care--and How to Fix It” (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019); he is also one of the researchers on the new report out of Johns Hopkins University, “Hospital Prices in the United States: An Analysis of U.S. Cities and States;” he tweets
Supreme Court Approves Restrictions On Asylum Seekers
The Supreme Court is allowing nationwide enforcement of a new Trump administration rule that prevents most Central American migrants from seeking asylum in the United States.
The justices’ order late Wednesday temporarily undoes a lower court ruling that had blocked the new asylum policy in some states along the southern border. The policy is meant to deny asylum to anyone who passes through another country on the way to the U.S. without seeking protection there.
Most people crossing the southern border are Central Americans fleeing violence and poverty. They are largely ineligible under the new rule, as are asylum seekers from Africa, Asia and South America who arrive regularly at the southern border. We check in on the latest.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Jorge Valencia, correspondent with Phoenix NPR-member station 91.5 KJZZ’s Mexico City bureau; he tweets
Greg Stohr, Supreme Court reporter for Bloomberg News; he tweets
The Law Of The Claw: Is The Hard Seltzer Craze Just A Fad Or Here To Stay?
Autumn might be looming, but spiked seltzer, the unofficial drink of summer 2019, is still going strong.
CNN reports leading hard seltzer brand, White Claw, is even experiencing a supply shortage in liquor stores across the nation after a recent surge in demand. But customers won’t be without other options; Boston Beer launched their own sparkling alcoholic beverage, Truly, and Anheuser-Busch has now sells two spiked seltzers, Bon & Viv and Natural Light Seltzer. Four Loko is even planning to enter the market with a 14 percent ABV seltzer, higher than the current industry standard, around five percent.
According to Vox, the hard seltzer industry is valued at $550 million dollars, and some analysts predict it could be worth 2.5 billion in 2021. The Washington Post credits some of the success of spiked seltzer to White Claw’s strategic marketing campaign, which advertises the product to men and women equally.
Despite its financial success, hard seltzer is not without critics. The San Francisco Chronicle published an article calling the drinks the “summer’s biggest scam.” Do you think spiked seltzer is here to stay? Tell us your thoughts on the drink by calling 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Craig Giammona, reporter covering the cannabis, beverage, food and restaurant industries for Bloomberg; he tweets
Eric Schmidt, director of alcohol research at Beverage Marketing Corporation, an independent consulting and research firm dedicated to the beverage industry
Should HR Look At Context When It Comes To Language That Makes People Uncomfortable In The Workplace?
Walter Mosley, a critically acclaimed novelist and screenwriter, recently shared in a New York Times opinion piece why he decided to walk off a project he was recently involved in. Mosley had just wrapped for the season with the “Snowfall” writers’ room earlier this year ahead of taking a similar job with “Star Trek: Discovery.”
After someone complained to Human Resources about Mosley using the n-word, saying the use of the word made them feel uncomfortable, an HR representative reached out to Mosley to express the concern and to tell him he couldn’t say it. That’s when the writer walked off the project. As Mosley explains it, he didn’t call anyone the word. He used it while telling a story involving a conversation he had had with a cop. “There I was being chastised for criticizing the word that oppressed me and mine for centuries,” Mosley writes in his piece. “As far as I know, the word is in the dictionary. As far as I know, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence assure me of both the freedom of speech and the pursuit of happiness.” Mosley says he decided to resign and move on, adding that “the worst thing you can do to citizens of a democratic nation is to silence them.”
Former professional basketball star and current Hollywood Reporter columnist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar defended Mosley and says his op-ed should be required reading for every American. He also questions the HR department’s predictable response, saying language policies are a one-size-fits-all, zero tolerance approach, which he deems lazy. Should language policies be a one-size-fits-all approach, or should they consider context and historical implications? Larry sits down with Mosley to discuss the issue.
Guest:
Walter Mosley, a novelist and screenwriter, he’s an executive producer and writer on FX’s “Snowfall”