JOIN ROC NY

Add your name to keep up to date with our campaigns and learn how to get involved.

Who We Are

We fight to build worker power across New York State to guarantee that all restaurant workers can live a humane, happy, and thriving life. To holistically improve the lives of restaurant workers, we employ a three-pronged approach that aims to tackle the system from all directions.

Policy & Research

We conduct studies about the conditions faced by restaurant workers, which we use to create policies that will help alleviate their struggle.

Workforce Development

We offer free classes designed to help people learn their labor rights, move forward in the restaurant industry, or just enter for the first time.
We also form partnerships with restaurants that treat their employees with respect and dignity.

Direct Action

We organize rallies in support of legislation. We can help you organize your workplace through non-union routes or advise you on how to pursue unionization.

Through all of this...

We aim to transform the industry into one that provides stable, inclusive, and just conditions. Our framework for the changes we want to see are laid out in the Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights, which includes the right to:

1. Thriving Wages and Thriving Life

2. Healing and Rest

3. Participation in Governance

4. A Safe and Dignified Work Environment

5. Bodily Autonomy and Healthcare

Pictured above: ROC NY members and other ROC members at the US Capitol Building.

Want To Get Involved?

Come to our weekly orientation if you want to get involved in any of this or just learn more! Orientations are held every Wednesday at 11:30 am at our main office. No pre-registration or documents are required. If you have questions first, you can also reach out to one of our staff, listed in the ‘About Us’ link at the top of the page.

We look forward to having you with us in the fight for respect, dignity, equality, stability, and liberation.

Our address: 275 7th Avenue, Suite 1504, New York, NY 10001

CAMPAIGNS

Empire State Campaign for Childcare

ROC-NY is a member of a coalition fighting for the Empire State Campaign for Childcare. Luis is gathering stories from restaurant workers with childcare responsibilities to learn more about the issues affecting you and to allow us to better represent you. We also want these members to be tapped into the campaign, as we have several actions scheduled for next year that we will need you at.

Don’t have children? We’d still love your solidarity and support.

The Empire State Campaign for Childcare is fighting for universal child care across New York State, which would entail:

Raising the income threshold for enrollment
Expanding access to undocumented parents
Presumptive eligibility, with verification coming after the child has received the care they need
Creating an online platform to apply
Paying childcare providers higher wages and investing in childcare facilities

Secure Jobs Act

ROC-NY is part of a coalition demanding the City Council to pass the Secure Jobs Act. Tareq wants people to spread the word, bring your friends, ask your council member to sign on, and get ready for a year filled with advocacy and activism. The Secure Jobs Act came out of a report that found that most New Yorkers cannot afford to be suddenly fired and that the threat of termination prevented them from speaking up about illegal workplace practices.

If passed, the Secure Jobs act would:

Force employers to provide 2 weeks notice before any termination
Require employers to provide a reason for the termination
Prevent employers from cutting hours by more than 15%
Mandate employers to provide proof of economic hardship before any layoffs
Outlaw the use of biometric tracking of workers