Restaurant Workers Target Diners In Living Wage CampaignThis is an amazing story!
WASHINGTON -- It's been a busy few months at Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, a scrappy non-profit that advocates for low-wage restaurant workers. To be more exact, it's been a busy few months trying to shame -- and, in less visible cases, praise -- some of the country's most prominent restaurants.
The New York-based organization released a Zagat-style "Diner's Guide" to the nation's restaurants last fall. But rather than critique the beef carpaccio or lamb rib chops, the guide details working conditions, listing whether workers receive decent pre-tip wages or sick days. Longhorn Steakhouse, among others, received a frowny-face rating, which the group says denotes "alleged illegal practices."
Then, late last month, workers affiliated with the group filed a federal lawsuit against The Capital Grille, accusing the restaurant chain of relegating minority employees to less desirable jobs and shorting workers on wages in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. The lawsuit is part of a broader campaign launched by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United against The Capital Grille's parent owner, Darden Restaurants, whose holdings include Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Longhorn Steakhouse.MORE AT THE LINK