This year, our Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) has been focusing on economic justice and ways to help us all be more conscious and compassionate consumers. From a recommendation by UUSC, I learned about Behind the Kitchen Door by Saru Jayaraman.
A number of younger family members have worked for a time in food service. I knew they worked hard, but reading this book really opened my eyes to the struggles restaurant workers encounter every day, including the $2.13 minimum “tipped” wage, unfair manager work practices, lack of paid sick leave, and discriminatory restrictions on advancement. Jayaraman tells the powerful stories of workers like Mamdouh, a Windows on the World survivor who was unable to get a new job after 9/11, and Claudia, a “Dreamer” from Mexico who struggled to survive on $2.13/hour when patrons rarely tipped enough to make up the difference. She describes real people caught by the color line between the “front” and “back” of the house.
From these stories, I began to realize the real cost of an evening out for the workers (and their families) who serve us. I also realized that with no sick leave, many restaurant workers often have to prepare and serve our food when they are sick. The good news is that ROC, the restaurant workers’ union, is having some success at convincing managers that good labor practices are actually good business. Their Diners’ Guide rates labor practices of restaurants in 10 major US cities, including a number of national chains. Although they do not rate restaurants in rural areas like ours, Jayaraman does give us some ideas about how to begin to let managers know that we as consumers want our cooks and servers to be treated fairly. I strongly recommend that you check this book out from our church library … and then work for the rights of those who serve us every day.
Eileen Raymond, April 2013