Cruz Bustamante on Jobs

Democratic Lt. Governor; former Candidate for CA Governor

Create incentive system for good workplaces

We have to fix the worker's comp issue. I propose that we do it much like we do safe driver proposal. There is no incentive for a good workplace and a bad workplace because they get paid or get a premium that is exactly the same amount. So if we were to provide a safe workplace discount and be able to have an incentive for those people not doing a good job to do a better job, we can lower premiums on those that are good work sites and increase the premiums on those with bad work sites. Source: Recall Debate, Cal. State Univ. at Sacramento Sep 24, 2003

Fix workers' compensation but focus on work safety

McCLINTOCK [to Bustamante]: Let's just replace our workers compensation law with Arizona's. Arizona's cost 1/3 of what ours does. Injured workers are being fully compensated.

BUSTAMANTE: No, they're not. We have to agree to fix the workers comp.

McCLINTOCK: That's a two-thirds reduction in workers comp costs. It not only lift a burden from business, but also reduces direct state and local costs by $2.5 billion.

BUSTAMANTE: What we tried to do is that we tried to fix the worker's comp issue by squeezing down on the insurance companies. They were clearly price gouging, they were clearly doing things that were effecting the premiums. And we tried to squeeze down on that. Unfortunately, they went into some predatory pricing. They drove the small guys out and then rates started going back up again. Here we have an opportunity to change fundamentally the system providing work safety.

Source: Recall Debate, Cal. State Univ. at Sacramento Sep 24, 2003

Supports required overtime pay plus other worker benefits

Q: Do you support requiring overtime for workers on the job more than eight hours a day?

BUSTAMANTE: I support the payment of overtime pay after eight hours a day. I also support making sure that workers have a decent place to work and making sure that they have proper benefits as well.

Source: Recall debate in Walnut Creek Sep 3, 2003

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