After more than a year of campaigning, a measure backed by former labor leader and current California assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez that would require large retailers to pay at least double time to employees called in to work on the Thanksgiving holiday has passed the state legislature's lower house.

"It's time to start talking about what we've all known is almost a dirty little secret — the fact that every year more and more workers are expected to come in and serve the public when it comes to what are non-essential items, quite frankly," Gonzalez told media assembled outside a Mission Valley Walmart when she first announced her initiative, codified as Assembly Bill 67, in November 2014.

According to a January 27 release trumpeting the Assembly vote on the bill:

In recent years, “Black Friday” shopping deals have increasingly spilled into the Thanksgiving holiday, forcing workers to miss out on celebrating the holiday and spending time with their families in order to keep their jobs. In some cases, this work has become mandatory, forcing workers to give up their holiday or risk losing their jobs. The increasing commercialization of the holiday season has created significant public backlash, including petitions, media criticism and worker protests. AB 67 would ensure that those workers who sacrifice their Thanksgiving holiday receive double pay for their work. While there are laws to compensate for the overtime, there is nothing protecting workers on holiday shifts. Current California law allows employers to mandate working scheduled overtime and holidays, which leaves workers without much recourse if a manager decides to take their Thanksgiving.

The measure passed 44-31 on a largely party-line vote (all five of the bill co-sponsors are Democrats) after failing 29-34 last June, when 17 Assembly members failed to cast a vote. It now heads to the state Senate for consideration.