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“We argue that sustainable food has to include sustainable labor practices,” Saru Jayaraman, co-director of Restaurant Opportunities Center United (ROC), told TheFightBack at the unveiling of ROC’s “National Diners’ Guide 2012.” Billed as “A Consumer Guide on the Working Conditions of America’s Restaurants,” the Guide rates national chains on their labor practices, as well as several local restaurants, including the gold-rated Eatonville, which hosted yesterday’s event.
While there is a strong food justice movement afoot, much of the attention is placed on where and how food is grown, not on the human beings who make it possible. “You can have a great organic chicken, but if the person who cooks that chicken and serves it to you is in poverty or sick, you’re going to be served organic foods by sick hands, impoverished hands,” said Jayaraman.
In the U.S., there are many sick and impoverished hands serving food. ROC surveyed 4,300 restaurant workers and found that 90 percent don’t have access to paid sick days. “About two-thirds report[ed] cooking, preparing and serving food while sick, and that’s truly disgusting,” said Jayaraman. “It’s disgusting for workers. It’s disgusting for consumers. It’s a public health risk.”
Non-tipped workers are required to receive the minimum wage (nationally it’s set at $7.25 an hour, but jurisdictions can go higher – for example, in D.C., it’s $8.25). While tipped workers can receive as little as $2.13 an hour in base pay. “$2.13. What that means for workers is that many of them are homeless, they don’t have the ability to pay rent,” said Jayaraman.
Congressmember Donna Edwards (D-MD), who represents parts of Montgomery and Prince George’s County, has worked with ROC to introduce the WAGES Act. The legislation calls for tipped wages to brought up to 70 percent of minimum wage (nationally, that would result in a tipped wage of $5.08 an hour; in D.C., $5.78).
The restaurant industry is one of the few growth sectors of the U.S. economy, employing a diverse workforce of more than ten million. But diversity should not be mistaken for equal opportunity. Occupational segregation, notes ROC’s Diners’ Guide, is a fact of life in the restaurant industry:
“Women, immigrants, and people of color hold lower-paying positions in the industry, and do not have many opportunities to move up the ladder. Among the 4,300 workers surveyed, we found a $4 wage gap between white workers and workers of color, and 73 percent reported not receiving regular promotions on the job.”
ROC has learned the value of a high-profile campaign. After a string of well-publicized victories in New York City, even restaurants that were not targeted by the organization began to improve their treatment of workers, according to Jayaraman.
Presently, ROC is targeting Capital Grille Steakhouse, a chain owned by the Darden Restaurant Company, which owns some 1,900 restaurants, including the Red Lobster and Olive Garden chains. Capital Grille Steakhouse employees have approached ROC, alleging they’ve experienced “racial discrimination, lack of breaks, and a hostile work environment,” according to a ROC press release. Darden’s major shareholders include J.P. Morgan Chase, among other One Percenters.
The push for justice for restaurant workers is part of the movement of the 99 Percenters, says ROC: “America’s Occupy-inspired consumer and worker revolt – which has already targeted bank practices and unreasonable demands to work on Thanksgiving in major chain stores – is now coming to the restaurant industry and its Wall Street backers.”
Related links:
rocunited.org
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