A bill that would give “domestic workers” such as nannies the same wage and break rights as pretty much everyone else is moving swiftly through Sacramento.

And some of the rich folks who take advantage of those employees don't appear to be too happy about it.

AB 889 from ultra-liberal state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco (he's the guy who practically wants the whole world to smoke weed legally) would …

… “extend basic, humane labor protections to thousands of nannies, caregivers, and housecleaners,” according to Ammiano's office.

(Gasps: Basic protections? What has this world come to?).

The bill would essentially end the exception from wage and employment law granted to employers of domestic workers. Maids, nannies, house cleaners and babysitters would get these radical new benefits:

–Minimum wage.

-Breaks.

-Workers compensation insurance.

Workers would actually be able to complain and take legal action if they're not, you know, paid.

Radical, we know.

But we find it ironic that the some of the richest folks on earth, who have long taken advantage of the sub-legal status of many of said workers, have a hard time abiding with basic, decent rules about “the help.”

Take the Beverly Hills Courier's reaction to the law today:

An un-bylined piece practically hails AB 889 as the second coming of communism:

Under AB 889 household 'employers' who hire a babysitter on a Friday night will be legally obligated to pay at least minimum wage to any sitter over the age of 18 …

The horror. You mean the folks in B.H. will have to fork out $8 an hour for childcare? That Friday night outing to Bouchon is going to cost you, and we're not just talking $200 per person for food and wine, but, like $24 (plus tip, if you insist) for babysitting duties. Hope you have money left over for the valet.

And remember, this is the town where the Courier itself projected that even the lowliest Beverly Hills city worker will see $1 million in retirement benefits. It's the city of silver-painted fire hydrants, golden real estate and Rodeo Drive. But minimum wage? That's over-the-top.

The Courier:

… The unreasonable costs and risks contained in this bill will discourage folks from hiring housekeepers, nannies and babysitters …

We love the hypocrisy of contemporary right-wingism here.

Because, let's be truthful. Many if not most of these housekeeping, babysitting folks are the unwanted, much-maligned brown immigrants who have ruined this perfect place called Los Angeles, right?

And many a right winger wants to just close the border and shut down this flow of sub-legal labor, correct?

But … God frigging forbid if you try to take away the illegal labor and unprotected workers of the rich.

So you want workers in this country to be fully legit, just not the ones in your own backyard.

Irony?

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]

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