skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump signals he is open to cutting China tariffs to 80% ahead of trade negotiations; Pope Leo XIV calls Church 'a beacon to illuminate dark nights' in first mass; Medicaid cuts risk health care access for VA military families; Does climate change 'perception gap' silence action in Mississippi? 'Forever families' needed for PA children in foster care.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A judge orders certification of the 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court race, Wisconsin Democrats want congressional maps redrawn, and the interim U.S. Attorney for District of Columbia loses the job over his support for January 6th rioters.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Volunteers with AmeriCorps are reeling from near elimination of the 30-year-old program, Head Start has dodged demise but funding cuts are likely, moms are the most vulnerable when extreme weather hits, and in California, bullfrogs await their 15-minutes of fame.

Restaurant Workers Seeking Legislation Outlining Rights

play audio
Play

Thursday, August 4, 2022   

Restaurant workers have been fleeing the industry throughout the Great Resignation, with no end in sight.

In order to codify necessities for better working conditions, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United has been working to develop the Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights. The set of rights seeks to provide restaurant workers with livable wages, better access to health care, a safe work environment and participation in governance.

Teo Reyes, chief program officer at Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, believes there's a need for this bill.

"The fundamental impetus for this is for us to bring workers together to build power," Reyes explained. "One of the milestones will be getting these bills introduced at a federal level in Congress, at the state level, and at a municipal level, and then advancing components of those as the opportunity presents itself."

This bill of rights will be introduced to Congress in September. Months of outreach to restaurant workers across the U.S. helped determine what should go into the bill.

New York's own restaurant industry has seen 120,000 people leaving for different jobs, according to a report from the University of California-Berkeley's Food Labor Research Center, due in part to low wages and rising prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In New York City, workers from any sector can see what they are entitled to under the city's Workers Bill of Rights.

Reyes believes the document will need to be updated to reflect the most current needs of restaurant workers. He shared some gripes workers had, providing a clear path on what changes should be made.

"It breeds a lot of unhealthy behaviors like excessive drinking and late-night eating," Reyes pointed out. "I'm not as healthy, and I miss large parts of the next day catching up on sleep. I think that restaurants should provide health care and dental care. People complained about rude customers, people complained about scheduling; like two weeks' notice to schedule even in a small business."

Not all the survey's answers were negative. Many of those surveyed praised their co-workers, and others felt it could be a highly lucrative industry, something Reyes hopes to maintain through establishing the bill of rights.

Disclosure: Restaurant Opportunities Center United contributes to our fund for reporting on Civil Rights, Human Rights/Racial Justice, Livable Wages/Working Families, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
The California Parent and Youth Helpline has helped almost 113,000 people since its inception in 2020. (kieferpix/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The California Parent and Youth Helpline turns five years old today - just in time for a brand new study that confirms its effectiveness. The study…


Environment

play sound

A Michigan group is speaking out after a top congressional leader's comment that lawmakers will most likely scrap the $7,500 federal tax credit for bu…

Environment

play sound

The Mississippi River is the drinking water source for 20 million people and its starting point in northern Minnesota has new protections following co…


The National Wildlife Federation said managed grazing is one of the top conservation practices used by South Dakota farmers and ranchers. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

A new mapping tool shows South Dakota is a big player on the farm conservation scene. The online feature coincides with a new poll, revealing most …

Social Issues

play sound

Sunday is Mother's Day, and what moms may need most is a day off. Research shows that inequities persist in the amount of time moms and dads spend …

Nevadans could save 16% on their utility bills by 2035 by pursuing cost-saving energy-efficiency measures, according to the National Renewable Energy Lab. (Scott Habermann/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Nevada clean-energy proponents have launched a new website to help connect Nevadans to energy and cost-saving programs. One of the nonprofits behind …

Social Issues

play sound

Ahead of Mother's Day, one Kentucky middle-school student has received recognition for honoring his grandmother in a "Grandparent of the Year" essay …

Environment

play sound

Nonprofits, businesses, organizers and leaders have signed a letter calling for more climate solutions in Arizona and around the country. They claim …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021