A recent study found that 60% of workers in the restaurant industry continue to go to work when they are sick. The reasons behind this? Restaurant workers do not get paid for sick time and they receive no insurance. 90% of workers interviewed do not recieve health insurance.(Severson)
This study was conducted with more 4,000 surverys and hundreds of interviews. This was conducted to increase the awareness of the conditions of restaurant workers, and to continue to put weight on this issue.
The Restaurant Opportunities Center conducted this survey. This organization was created after September 11. It's initial foundation was to help unemployed restaurant workers. However, it has evolved into much more. It has been involved in bringing charged to restaurants for not complying with the wage and hour laws, and bringing charges against restaurant owners who have practiced racial discrimination.
I think this organization is doing a great job fighting for restaurant workers rights. The issue of wages and hours has been ongoing, as I have posted several blogs about it, and the new statistics from this survey is going to help new laws go into effect.
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/restaurant-workers-dont-stay-home-when-sick-study-finds/?scp=1&sq=restaurant%20industry&st=cse
I think workers should still receive pay if they are legitimately sick. It's better off for the restaurant owner to give a small sum to employees that are sick because they can show up at work and infect other workers or even worse infect customers. As for the organization created after September 11, I think its great that they are fighting for restaurant workers rights because in many restaurants they can be treated unfairly due to race or even gender.
ReplyDeleteI think that wage issues for restaurant workers are becoming much more apparent in society now. In this case, I believe that restaurant workers should be provided with health insurance because if they are going to work sick than they are risking the health of the customers. I do think workers should be compensated somewhat for sick leave, if actually sickness is proven. I think that an organization like this is important today to fight for the discriminations in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteNice post. This is an interesting topic that I have first hand experience with. It's scary to think that I've worked with servers with high fevers and strep throat who have no choice but to be at work because they couldn't find anyone to cover their shift or needed to make rent for that week. It's a tough occupation.
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