Are we all in this together?

Testimonial by Amelia B., former busser/barback

1) As a current/former/future restaurant worker, how has the pandemic changed your perspective on the restaurant industry? How has it impacted your willingness to work in the industry?

AB: Until the pandemic, I thought my staff was really close and I cared a lot about them. But this pandemic caused our company to pit managers against staff in an attempt to reel employees back in. It went from “we’re all in this together,” to covert operations overnight. We’d hear one thing from our house manager and something else from our regional manager. It was quickly made apparent that they didn’t expect the staff to compare notes on the mixed messages we were receiving around new COVID safety protocol. My employers actively threatened my financial stability to bring me back into an unsafe work environment without hazard pay or sick leave. Nobody listened to us when we had safety concerns. Why would I ever work in service again?

2) What would you like to see change in the restaurant industry? What changes would encourage you to return to work in a restaurant/food service environment?

AB: We need sick leave and PTO for part time employees as well as growth opportunities and safety training on how to care for your health and well-being on the job. We need a regulated wage like every other civilized country rather than a tipped minimum of $2.85. We need regulated schedules from week to week and a full two days off together in any week that you work full time.

3) What issues were you experiencing in the restaurant industry before the pandemic?

AB: I had some trouble with a lack of growth and clear job expectations. I was hired in a bussing/barback position with the promise of eventually being promoted to serving shifts. I struggled a bit with the feeling that new servers were being brought on above me, rather than promoting me to serving. If there were job expectations I was or wasn’t meeting, I was never really clear on what they were.