Sacramento, CA – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council today applauded Governor Jerry Brown for signing AB 235 (O’Donnell), providing pathways to 21st Century careers with apprenticeship opportunities in emerging industries including healthcare, advanced manufacturing and IT. The following statement may be attributed to James Araby, Executive Director, United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council:
“Governor Brown and California have rightly seen that our state needs 21st Century thinking to promote workers’ success. With this expansion of apprenticeship training, working Californians will gain the skills needed for the demands of the 21st Century.
“California’s workforce is increasingly made up of people of color and women, and apprenticeship provides access and a level playing field in new growth sectors of California’s economy. Apprenticeship programs train high-quality professionals in a variety of different fields and professions in an efficient and cost-effective way by combining both classroom study and on-the-job training.
“By establishing new pathways to apprenticeship in California, alongside already existing programs in construction trades and firefighting, Governor Brown’s signature on AB 235 will help more of California’s workers earn a paycheck and create the workforce of tomorrow. UFCW members, who come non-traditional apprenticeship industries such as food, healthcare, retail, and cannabis, look forward to working with Governor Brown’s administration and the next governor’s administration to ensure California workers meet the needs of a future workforce.”
Joining the United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council in support of AB 235 were numerous other organizations including the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO, State Building and Construction Trades Council and the Service Employees International Union.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2018
CONTACT: Mike Roth, 916.444.7170