November 2020 Update: The Momentum Continues
The past few weeks have been historic in our fight for One Fair Wage. Between filing groundbreaking legal charges, historic nationwide worker strikes and mobilizations across the country, and some incredible and impactful virtual events,, it is clear that we are experiencing a momentum shift as we’ve never seen before in the history of this campaign. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed a crisis of epic proportions facing tipped workers. Now, decision-makers are listening and the message is clear: Workers need One Fair Wage now more than ever.
RECENT CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Pioneering lawsuit against Darden — On Tuesday September 29th, we introduced a groundbreaking organizational charge of discrimination against Darden which highlights how they maintaining practices that allowed for systemic racism, racist pay and sexual harassment to played out in their restaurants. As the nation’s largest restaurant operator and employer of tipped workers in the U.S., managing 1,500 chain restaurants including Olive Garden and The Capital Grille.
NATIONWIDE WORKER STRIKES — On Wednesday September 30th, workers went on strike in multiple cities to demand One Fair Wage. In New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. thousands of workers made their voices heard! We hope you caught up on the great images and videos from our strike some of which can be found on fightdontstarve.com
OTHER NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
In New York:
The Ford Foundation Hosted a virtual convening called ‘Reimagining a Revitalized and Equitable NY Restaurant Industry’ to discuss the results of a McKinsey & Company report on the needs and conditions of workers and employers in the industry, both before and after the COVID-19 shutdown.
More than 30 leading New York physicians and public health research scientists sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo warning that, unless he enacts One Fair Wage - a full minimum wage with tips on top - for New York restaurant workers, the re-opening of indoor dining in restaurants, with workers enforcing public health protocols on customers from whom they have to get tips, could be a public health disaster that could make New York the center of the COVID-19 pandemic yet again.
SEE THE FULL LETTER TO GOV. CUOMO HERE:
In Massachusetts:
Rep. Ayanna Pressley joined our virtual service worker town hall, which you can read about in this story from the Boston Herald. You can find news coverage here: https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/10/06/pressley-advocates-for-one-for-wage-for-tipped-workers/
We think AP said it best: “This town hall is a reminder that these racial disparities - and we have to be intersectional about it - these intersectional injustices are not naturally occurring. They are legislated and they have been codified. If we can legislate hurt and harm, creating marginalized communities, then we can also legislate communities that are equitable and just and where everyone can thrive.
Onward and upward together, we will win! As always, thank you for all that you do.
The One Fair Wage Team