In the wake of Sept. 11, NYC restaurant workers explore new strategies
By Saru Jayaraman
Aug. 1— The Sept. 11 World Trade Center attacks
and the ongoing economic recession have left large segments of New York’s
low wage, and largely immigrant, restaurant industry workforce devastated.
More than 70 workers at the WTC’s famed Windows on the World restaurant
died in the attacks and another 250 Windows workers were displaced.
Citywide, over 13,000 restaurant workers have been displaced.
Hotel and Restaurant Employees (HERE) Local 100, New York City’s
restaurant workers’ union, received special funding to help workers
and the families of those killed. At HERE’s request two former
Windows on the World workers and an organizer established Restaurant
Opportunities Center of New York (ROC-NY).
What was initially intended as a temporary measure of support for displaced
workers has developed into an immigrant worker-led center with its sights
set on organizing the 90 percent of New York City’s restaurant
workforce that does not enjoy the benefits of a union. Its long-term
vision is to change the balance of power in the industry by organizing
restaurant workers around well-researched campaigns.
Using protests and media pressure, ROC-NY has organized to support displaced
workers vulnerable to layoff and exploitation due to the weakened state
of the hospitality industry. In June 2002, organized Windows workers
pressured former owner David Emil to hire 32 former Windows workers
at his newly-opened restaurant, Noche.
Organizing the displaced
Emil did not initially wish to hire his former employees for fear that
they would form a union. Responding to ongoing pressure from ROC-NY
members, Emil created an entirely new banquet department at Noche and
hired several bussers, bartenders, and waiters he had previously refused
to hire.
ROC-NY won $1,100 in back wages in early September for one worker who
was never paid overtime wages at a restaurant in Greenwich Village.
After a few months, ROC-NY’s actions and a lawsuit filed by the
Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (PRLDEF) won reinstatement
and $200,000 in owed back wages for five undocumented immigrant workers
at a Brooklyn deli.
ROC-NY campaigned (again with PRLDEF) from March to May, forcing a powerful
and wealthy restaurant owner of the Park Avenue Country Club to sign
an agreement to pay $45,000 to a group of six workers, to provide paychecks
on time, always pay overtime, and treat workers with respect.
Innovative programs
ROC-NY’s “English Plus” class for families of World Trade
Center victims has developed into an organized fight for amnesty for
undocumented families and displaced WTC workers. Fekkak Mamdouh, also
a co-founder, uses the center’s job development, training, and
placement program, where 300 workers meet weekly, to link issues currently
affecting restaurant workers’ lives in New York City to international
struggles. It is based on a popular education-style curriculum.
Work is currently under way to launch a cooperatively-owned restaurant
that would employ up to 100 displaced workers and ultimately serve as
a model of worker empowerment in the industry.
ROC-NY also seeks legislative change. They plan to replicate the cooperative
ownership model noted above with other groups of displaced restaurant
workers, in the hope these worker owners will serve as vocal owner advocates
for worker-beneficial legislation.
In November 2002, the center initiated a research effort, the Restaurant
Industry Analysis, which involves at least 20 different social change
institutions citywide, including three other immigrant worker centers
and the New York City government. This research will allow them to launch
a strategic, well-informed legislative campaign to raise industry standards
and wages in early 2004.
A working relationship
ROC-NY’s Worker Leadership Board, elected by the membership and
composed almost entirely of immigrant workers, makes strategic decisions
for this independent organization. However, ROC-NY and HERE Local 100
do meet weekly to ensure coordination of efforts to build power for
restaurant workers citywide.
While HERE focuses on big, “tablecloth” restaurants, ROC-NY
works with any restaurants, no matter how small. The goal is to create
a labor-friendly climate in these places, so the union can organize
them in a few years. Even if the union does not go in later, ROC-NY
aims to create a larger and larger force of organized restaurant workers.
ROC-NY’s work in conjunction with the union is not without its
problems. HERE seems to have some trouble letting go. The union does
not tell ROC what to do, but has not granted complete independence.
Although the center is run by a worker board, the union acts as our
fiscal sponsor, and thus that worker board is not the legal board.
ROC-NY looks to increase its base of 500 to several thousand over the
next few years, and has found outreach in specific target restaurants
an ongoing challenge. It can be difficult to explain the workers’
center concept to workers in the few minutes ROC-NY members are able
to see them without a manager watching.
While workers approached in a restaurant are familiar with the concept
of the union, they have no idea what a workers’ center is, how
it might help them, or that the person approaching them is trustworthy.
This is especially true since ROC-NY activities are not legally protected
as union business.
As it grows, ROC-NY hopes to learn from other workers’ centers
about their experiences on these issues.
Saru Jayaraman is an attorney, professor, and ROC-NY co-founder.
Source: Labor Notes
