As the nation wrings their hands over Iowa caucuses and an upcoming State of the Union speech, the battle for the freedom to work rages on in California. The state’s “gig economy” law that ends the right to work as an independent contractor for nearly everyone has caused unprecedented chaos and income loss nearly overnight. The state capitol has been flooded with calls and emails asking for AB5 to be repealed, but the governor and the bill’s sponsor – Lorena Gonzalez (D-80) have only doubled-down on their commitment to end the gig economy. Shenanigans abound.

On Monday, California freelance writers got wind of an astroturfed “lobby day” in Sacramento meant to push back against legitimate opposition to the law. Supposed supporters filled a room and took turns speaking in favor of AB5…for five hours. Interestingly, nearly every “supporter” was a union worker or representative – the very people the law does not affect. Why weren’t any pro-AB5 non-union workers invited?

After getting word that the lobbyists would be sitting on a couple of hashtags, writers and other ICs quickly organized to push back. They spent the day jumping on the hashtags used by Lorena Gonzalez and the bill’s union sponsors, telling their own stories and refuting any misinformation trying to be passed off as fact.

The results were tragically glorious. The hashtags were immediately overwhelmed with story after story of people who have lost their income overnight, and with requests for the law to be repealed immediately. It became quickly apparent that Lorena Gonzalez and her people were not prepared for the pushback. The hashtags #ABWorks and #DisruptInequality went from being pro-AB5 threads  to anti-AB5 threads in a matter of minutes and stayed that way all day. Also good to note -the outrage was completely bipartisan. It was not attached to party in any way.

Interestingly, California Assemblyman Kevin Kiley comment on the “lobby day”, saying it is “unheard of” in Sacramento to have a lobby day for a law that has already passed.

#AB5's backers clearly sense momentum is turning in favor of Repeal. Today they‘ve organized a lightly attended Lobby Day at the Capitol. It's unheard of to have a Lobby Day for a bill that has already passed. pic.twitter.com/4ZcWgG0okJ

— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) February 3, 2020

Is there momentum building? Most certainly. Here is a thread of real, live people explaining how AB5 has completely obliterated their livelihood, or threatens to. The thread is long and it is only a sampling of stories, but these stories set the stage for what is about to become a very heated, prolonged battle against a state law that threatens to become national that will fundamentally change the face of the American economy as we know it in the worst of ways.

#AB5Works ??? Does it, though? You are ignoring 1/3 of California voters. We agree with your #DisruptInequality sentiment. #AB5 criminalizes the independent contracting business model. Go check out our feed for stories of lives destroyed. https://t.co/Xb3scQ6vNm

— 🍭 Faces of AB5 (#PROAct is #AB5) (@Ab5Of) February 3, 2020

The #AB5Works LIE: My first week forced into a #AB5 W2 job
* 10% rate cut
* Mandatory unpaid 3-month hiatus every 2 yrs
* Hours of admin overhead work I cant bill for
* No benefits, paid sick time, or holidays
* Can't write off expenses
* Never more exploited in my life

— Punctuatrix (@Punctuatrix) February 3, 2020

#AB5stories, Sylvia: "I'm the Director of a small nonprofit opera. We've scrambled to comply with #AB5, but it will cost $10,000. Our nonprofit doesn't have this so I'll pay. We can't sustain this & will likely go dark. I founded the company 20 years ago so this breaks my heart"

— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) February 4, 2020

I am a nurse practitioner. I have independently contracted for many years filling in holes at small private owned offices. AB 5 has ruined this. It is forcing many small physician offices to close. It is increasing the gap in healthcare. #AB5Works #disruptinequality #AB5

— Megan Kellie (@MeganKellie1) February 3, 2020

If you believe #AB5works, please look at the real life devastation this law is already causing. It's killing the arts, non-profits, small newspapers, indie musicians, writers, photographers to name a few. #AB5 doesn't #disruptinequality. It simply disrupts and destroys. https://t.co/VtU73BWUkx

— PixelPosh (@SusanVoiceOver) February 3, 2020

I have spoken with dozens of small business owners and it seems the only thing #AB5 does is create uncertainty and disrupt Californians ability to grow a sustainable business. #ab5works #disruptinequality #AB5stories

— Braden Drake (@BradenAdamDrake) February 3, 2020

Take the blue pill, and you believe the lies that #AB5works. Take the red pill, and we show you reality in US Labor Dept stats: Women and people 55/older flocking to independent contractor careers to #disruptinequality by escaping workplace sexism and ageism. #fightforfreelancers pic.twitter.com/6BfhN17s7R

— Kim Kavin (@thekimkavin) February 3, 2020

We👏🏾don't👏🏾want👏🏾full👏🏾employment👏🏾we👏🏾want👏🏾to👏🏾make👏🏾our👏🏾own👏🏾employment👏🏾choices. Get out of here with this astroturf nonsense. #AB5Works by putting people out of work. #DisruptInequality by letting gig workers get back to their businesses. Justice demands it. https://t.co/AfReU81Ibb

— Kira (@RealKiraDavis) February 3, 2020

Newsflash: You can't #disruptinequality by supporting misogynistic legislation like #AB5. IRS data has a 90% increase in female breadwinners who choose independent contractor careers since 2001. Yet #AB5works by turning the clock back to the Depression with its archaic ABC test.

— Maressa Brown (@MaressaSylvie) February 3, 2020

https://twitter.com/FTTabby/status/1224756740815638529?s=20

#AB5 hurts children, artists and #MusicEducation in California. This is NOT abot corporations or Uber. Call your legislators and the governor TODAY. #DisruptInequality #AB5stories #repealAB5 https://t.co/2aCWpWlZKX

— Brittany Maldonado (@MaldonadoBBC) February 3, 2020

#AB5works Business dried up 95% since xmas due to this authoritarian bill.We either have to leave the state or completely start over with new careers, while still paying bills and supporting our children. #AB5 is evil. #AB5stories #DisruptInequality #RecallGavinNewsom #RepealAB5 pic.twitter.com/xRljYS9DnB

— Lowgritt (@Lowgritt) February 3, 2020

Under #AB5 I have to hire actors, editors, crew, etc. as employees, even if they only work for 4 hours! How does that make ANY sense? This does NOT #DisruptInequality, thousands of freelancers & artists are losing work! Pass the small business exemption NOW! #AB5Stories #ab5works

— Willow Polson (@WillowPolson) February 3, 2020

#AB5 is not meant to #disruptinequality. It's about forcing happy freelancers like me back to W2 jobs we don't want. #AB5works only if you think everyone must be assimilated. We all know that us good guys win in the end. #repealAB5 Stop NJ #S863 and #NoPROAct #fightforfreelancers pic.twitter.com/a6DMcjgLci

— Kim Kavin (@thekimkavin) February 3, 2020

#AB5works to strip away my right to be my own boss and demand the salary I am worth, not what someone else thinks I should be happy to have. #DisruptInequality #NoPROAct

— Sara Ackerman (@phoenix_ack) February 3, 2020

#AB5Works to create an “animal farm” like system where all professions are equal but 28 exempted professions are more equal than the rest. #disruptinequality by letting all highly skilled professionals choose how they want to work, including as ind businesses. #ab5 #AB5stories

— Briana Sharp #RepealAB5 #NoPROAct (@Briana_Sharp) February 3, 2020

I'm a freelance writer and lifelong Democrat, not a tech billionaire. #AB5 makes me feel like collateral damage in the war against Uber and Lyft. Feel free to share this graphic. @cafwu #fightforfreelancers #DisruptInequality #AB5Stories @Ab5Of #AB5Works pic.twitter.com/nrHVb6ogck

— Stephen Beale #BlackLivesMatter (@SBeale_Writer) February 3, 2020

Multiply this across hundreds of professions and working people who cannot be classified across the State of CA, and you have a huge number of people being disenfranchised. .@CAlegislature are you paying attention? #RepealAB5 #AB5Works #DisruptInequality https://t.co/kef9CGKsuC

— Jennifer "Burnt Sienna Lives Matter" O'Connell (@asthegirlturns) February 3, 2020

Musicians invented the term "gig". It's how we work. #AB5 does not fit our business model — nor will #HR2474. CA productions are cancelling and musicians are losing work. #AB5Works by forcing an old and overly broad model onto a creative process. #DisruptInequality #AB5stories pic.twitter.com/bFJBZ9HkPX

— California Independent Music Professionals United (@CAIndieMusicPro) February 3, 2020

I'm a freelance copywriter who lost my livelihood to #AB5 mid-December. Still recovering from this massive shock and working on a move to another state so I can keep my career going. This has been an incredibly painful ordeal. #AB5Works #disruptinequality #AB5stories

— Andi Loveall (@ms_andiloveall) February 3, 2020

Think #AB5Works? Enter a time machine and fly back to the misogynistic 50s & 60s of anti-woman, anti-minority labor laws. We are stripped of our civil rights, income, careers & lives and families are destroyed…so much for the Pursuit of Happiness.#DisruptInequality #RepealAB5

— T (@TheresePope) February 4, 2020

@GavinNewsom @LorenaSGonzalez @RobBonta @wendycarillo @ToddGloria @MariaEDurazo @Ash_Kalra @SenatorLeyva @AsmKevinMcCarty @AsmJoseMedina @NancySkinnerCA @AsmMarkStone @BuffyWicks — #AB5 will decimate the music industry in California. #AB5Works #DisruptInequality #AB5stories pic.twitter.com/Ym3Zwiyd4A

— California Independent Music Professionals United (@CAIndieMusicPro) February 3, 2020

#AB5 reinforces the 'flexibility penalty' that contributes to #inequality in gender pay. @LorenaAD80 & @GavinNewsom didn't do their homework. #AB5 hurts women. THEY are hurting women. #DisruptInequality #RepealAB5 https://t.co/ufC0XyfiCL

— Andi *Lollipop* HK (@AndiHK) February 3, 2020

And you are breaking it more leaving people with disabilities and chronic conditions, stay-at-home and single parents, caregivers and many others that need work flexibility without a job.
But sure, #ab5works and you are #DisruptInequality. It doesn’t. #freedom2freelance

— Gloria M. Rivera (@BlueUrpi) February 3, 2020

FREELANCERS! Call Gov. Newsom at 916-445-2841 and your rep to tell them what AB5 is doing to your business.

California Labor Fed is running a pro AB5 campaign today with all their union members calling to say how great AB5 is. Think #AB5Works? It DOESN'T! #DisruptInequality pic.twitter.com/QqA4lUKdso

— Jenna Busch (@JennaBusch) February 3, 2020

AYFKM? #AB5 has torn my family apart, literally. #AB5 costs mom bosses $800-$1000/yr to form an LLC to *try* to qualify for a B2B exemption. #AB5Works to promote income inequality, not to #DisruptInequality! https://t.co/zQEGc63tIL https://t.co/WCMTpc3O5B

— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) February 3, 2020

I was devastated by AB5. Lost my contract and now no income. As a pharmacist who’s purpose is to save lives, I’ve been discriminated against as a senior aged woman. Costing me current $ for food and shelter and future $ for retirement. #ab5Works #disruptinequality #ab5stories

— Nancy Hall (@NancyHa42088629) February 3, 2020

Anyone who thinks #AB5Works hasn't seen Faces of AB5 @Ab5of. People have lost livelihoods due to this poorly conceived law. We need to #DisruptInequality and allow freelancers to get back to work. #NoAB5 #NoPROAct (P.S. @NJSenatePres, stop trying to make this happen in NJ!) #S863

— Lisa A (@mikesgrrl1999) February 3, 2020

#AB5stories, Colleen: "For Christmas caroling, I usually hire up to 70 singers in a season. After #AB5, I will now work with fewer and will have to raise my rates and book fewer gigs. It’s very possible that this will be the last year I run my Caroling company."

— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) February 3, 2020

Think #AB5Works @CaliforniaLabor? I collect disability and if I want to keep working as a writer I need to become an LLC threatening my disability benefits AND my healthcare. Many women, elderly, disabled, POCs are losing jobs en masse beacause of this.

— Kristen Lopez (@Journeys_Film) February 3, 2020

#AB5works to take away my right to stay home with my kids, make my own hours, and be my own boss. #DisruptInequality #NoPROAct

— VIPKID_Christina (@vipkidchristina) February 3, 2020

FACTS: #AB5Works to HURT workers. Best way to #DisruptInequality? LISTEN to freelancers. Work with us to de-couple benefits from W2 employment. #AB5 outlaws most self employmt, is bad for CA economy, bad for most workers, our environment, our future. https://t.co/SzOVmJjmNm

— JoBeth (@HEYJBMC) February 3, 2020

Here she is at UNITED here, local 30. A San Diego Union for hotel, food service, gaming and airport workers. So, if ALL these people are already members of a union (not affected by #ab5) why is she there? Why do unions care that “it is working” or using #disruptinequality? pic.twitter.com/78AI4naFYV

— Gloria M. Rivera (@BlueUrpi) February 3, 2020

#AB5Works to destroy the careers of hard-working freelancers who have painstakingly built businesses that they're passionate about. It's happening across CA, & the proposed PRO Act would do the same across the U.S. #fightforfreelancers #AB5 #NoPROAct #S863 #disruptinequality

— Lisa Fields (@LisaFieldsWrite) February 3, 2020

#AB5works to strip away my right to be my own boss and be paid what I know I'm worth, not what someone else thinks I should have. Oh, and I can work and raise my 9yo son. #DisruptInequality, #NoProAct

— Caren Chesler (@TheDancingEgg) February 3, 2020

I’ve been a freelance artist for 21 years and have supported my 3 children this way and now my livelihood is in danger because of this #ab5 bill that did not consider the little guy. Tell me how this works for me. #AB5stories #AB5Works #DisruptInequality

— Shawna Del Real (@Shawnadelreal) February 3, 2020

YOUR stories are the most powerful asset you have. Show them we are not paid and we are not bots. Tweet your story. Then tweet your income loss total. Then tweet the impact on your life.#AB5Works only for unions!#DisruptInequality implemented by union-backed lawmakers!#AB5 pic.twitter.com/BAd1690Wxb

— 🍭 Faces of AB5 (#PROAct is #AB5) (@Ab5Of) February 3, 2020

This is how #AB5Works for musicians. Good thing the #HalftimeShow2020 wasn't in California or it never would have happened! #DisruptInequality by repealing #AB5! pic.twitter.com/uC8IiRmAHm

— 🍭 Faces of AB5 (#PROAct is #AB5) (@Ab5Of) February 3, 2020

Here is a constantly updating roll of #AB5 livelihoods lost.

Show this to people as you spread the word about this law in your community!https://t.co/EDb3aBeEot

— 🍭 Faces of AB5 (#PROAct is #AB5) (@Ab5Of) January 27, 2020

If you’ve made it to the end of this thread, just know this really only the beginning. The stories are still flooding in on the hashtags today. If you want to see more stories and concerns, join the Facebook group Freelancers Against AB5 and feast your eyes. The scope of this law is wide, astounding and nearly unbelievable. Lorena Gonzalez and her lobby have been trying to frame the opponents as “bots” or “paid protestors”. It is grossly offensive to be told by your own elected officials that not only are you not smart enough to make your own employment decisions but in fact, you don’t exist.

California has already begun early primary voting. Yes, we have a full 30 days to rig cast our ballots. The fight is on to remove these thieves from office and replace them with politicians who will repeal this bill and let Californians get back to work.

As of the publication of the piece, Congress is set to vote on the national version (The PRO Act or HR2474) on Thursday. If you’re saying to yourself, “The GOP Senate won’t let it pass. I’m not worried” then just know that no bad idea ever dies, it just gets stuffed in a body bag and shoved into the freezer until people forget about it and then eventually rises again like a zombie.

This gross miscarriage of justice must be snipped at the source, and the source is California, Lorena Gonzalez and Governor Gavin Newsom.