THE RESTAURANT WORKERS BILL OF RIGHTS CALLS FOR

  1. Thriving Wages and a Thriving Life
  2. Healing and Rest
  3. Safe and Dignified Work Environment
  4. Universal Healthcare and Bodily Autonomy
  5. Participation in Governance

Ask Your Rep to Cosponsor!

The Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights is a U.S. House resolution that is calling on the federal government to develop a restaurant workers bill of rights, centering the rights to thriving wages and a thriving life, healing and rest, a safe and dignified work environment, universal healthcare and bodily autonomy, and participation in governance.

The Five Pillars Of the Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights

1. The Right to a Thriving Life

As workers, we have the right to not only survive, but to also thrive. We demand to be paid a thriving wage and be taken care of when we are unable to work, both temporarily and permanently, no matter our abilities, occupation, immigration status or age. We demand to access and afford essential needs such as childcare, transportation, education and banking, and never have to worry about being unhoused. We demand the right to a thriving life, security in retirement, and our humanity should never be tied to our productivity. We deserve jobs that allow us to live with economic freedom and security.

2. The Right To Healing and Rest

Restaurant work is demanding on our bodies and our spirits. We work long strenuous hours on our feet and are forced to work through winter storms, summer heat, tornado warnings, illness, and public health emergencies. We serve our communities during holidays and special occasions, yet rarely are able to take time off for ourselves. We constantly put our lives and livelihoods on the line, as we work to serve others. The physical and mental stress of our work causes long-term damages to our mental health, bodies, and spirits. 

As hard-working professionals, we deserve time to regularly rest and recharge our minds and bodies so we can be more present in our work and our personal lives. We demand expansive and extensive paid leave and regular mandated breaks to allow us to rest and heal, as well as fair and consistent scheduling to allow us to plan for our futures. 

3. The Right To A Safe and Dignified Environment

Despite the shortcomings, challenges, and injustices in our industry we continue to show up to deliver superior service. We deserve to be provided with the tools, training, capacity, and time needed to do our jobs safely, efficiently, and without injury. We deserve to grow and be given opportunities no matter the color of our skin. We deserve to be protected from abusive language and behavior from owners, investors, managers, coworkers, and guests, without fear of losing our wages or our jobs. When we feel safe and supported, we can produce quality work without being burdened by abusive social dynamics, and the restaurant industry will be a much more viable and sustainable profession for so many. 

We demand to be protected from discrimination, sexual harassment and abuse, no matter our identity, ability, or appearance. We demand workplaces free from the threat of ICE and police harassment, and our rights and safety at work should never be contingent upon our immigration status. We demand a culture that cares for our safety over profitability. We demand systems of accountability and restorative justice. We demand to be listened to and believed. When we go to work, we deserve to have our entire humanity respected.

4. The Right to Universal Healthcare and Bodily Autonomy

Our decision to seek healthcare for ourselves or our families should never be driven by its cost, our work schedules, or restricted by law. No one should be burdened with a lifetime of debt to get the care they need. We should be granted the rights and resources to protect our physical and mental health and be trusted that we know what is best for ourselves and our bodies. 

We demand that quality comprehensive and universal healthcare is available when and where we need it and nobody is excluded. We demand widespread access to mental health and wellness services that are essential to the wellbeing of our communities. We understand that our health is connected to the health of our community and thus we demand expansive investment in public health. A robust healthcare system for all will ensure that lives are being prioritized over profit.

5. The Right to Participation in Governance

We believe in a participatory society—free of racism, sexism, authoritarianism, xenophobia, classism, and intolerance of any kind—where workers have a seat at the table to influence decisions, policies, and regulations that impact our lives. Employers should not be the only ones listened to when it comes to policies impacting our communities and our industry; the voices of workers must be central to the conversation and decision making. 

On the job, we deserve to have avenues for open communication and transparency. We must be allowed to exercise our rights as workers, conscious community members, and voters. When we speak up about injustices at work, and organize with our coworkers for better working conditions, we must be protected. We have the right to know and assert our rights as workers without fear. 

We demand clear structures for communication and transparency around wages, tips, and policies. We demand the right to organize and collectively bargain without fear of retaliation or intimidation. We demand an investment in worker ownership, so that workers have autonomy over their labor. Free of pressure and coercion from employers, we have the right to practice democracy at and outside of work.

WHAT WORKERS ARE SAYING

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. – Bri, Philadelphia restaurant worker

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. – Bri, Philadelphia restaurant worker

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. – Bri, Philadelphia restaurant worker

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ENDORSE THE DECLARATION

We are now extending an invitation to all organizations to register their support for the Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights declaration.

We believe in the power of collective action. As we present this resolution to lawmakers, media, and the general public, we hope to accompany it with an expanded list of organizations supporting the Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights declaration. By joining hands, we can shape a brighter future for all restaurant workers. Please add your organization below to sign on in support of this important endeavor.

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