“Feeding the Resistance: Sanctuary Restaurants Stand in Solidarity with the Women’s March and #MeToo Movement, and Take Stand Against Sexual Harassment in the Restaurant Industry”
On the One Year Anniversary of the Sanctuary Restaurant Movement and Trump Inauguration, Restaurants Throughout the Country Stand in Solidarity with the #MeToo Movement.
Over 500 Restaurants Have Joined the Sanctuary Restaurant Movement.
Nationwide — This weekend, the Sanctuary Restaurant movement celebrated one year of protecting the rights and and promoting justice for restaurant workers by taking action in solidarity with the #MeToo movement and the Women’s Marches that took place throughout the country.
The Sanctuary Restaurant movement was formed in January 2017 in response to Trump’s inauguration and hateful rhetoric and devastating policies directed at immigrants, workers and women. The Sanctuary Restaurant movement, which encompasses over 500 restaurants, hundreds of workers and thousands of consumers aims to create safer spaces for vulnerable communities and provide space for organizing and activism.
The restaurant industry has the highest incidence of sexual harassment of any industry in the United States. Restaurant workers are subject to sexual harassment as a routine part of them job. Tipped workers, over 70% of whom are women, are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment because they must tolerate harassment by managers and coworkers, but also the customers whose tips they rely on to survive.
With the #MeToo movement growing across the country, Sanctuary Restaurants are seizing this moment to push for proactive structural changes in the restaurant industry that would reduce sexual harassment and race discrimination.
“ROC United is proud to stand with Sanctuary Restaurants, workers, business owners and millions of women rising up around the country to say Enough is Enough. It’s time take a stand up against all forms of hate, discrimination, and inequity, including sexual harassment in the restaurant industry–which has the largest rates of harassment of any workforce and which employs over 7 million women and one in 11 Americans,” said Saru Jayaraman, ROC United’s President and co-founder.
“We can dramatically reduce harassment by eliminating the tipped minimum wage and introduce One Fair Wage — the same minimum wage — for all workers. California, one of seven states that has eliminated the tipped minimum wage, has one half the rate of harassment because it has One Fair Wage, and workers also have a known basic take-home income and enjoy the highest rate of tipping in the country. We applaud Governor Cuomo for announcing that he would move New York to become the eighth state to eliminate the tipped minimum wage, and encourage him to make One Fair Wage a reality. States across the country should do the same.”
Josh Lewin, owner of Juliet in Somerville, Mass said:
“Our company is proud to lead the wave of change in creating supportive and equitable work environments in the hospitality industry, which we love, but which is so often fraught with indignity. Sanctuary Restaurants. Equal pay for equal work. Career opportunity. Profit sharing. Prohibiting any form of sexual harassment or bullying. These ideals are built into the foundations of our business.
“We are excited to highlight these efforts with two events within the next week: On Sunday, January 21 (the date of the Women’s March), Juliet’s monthly community night fundraiser will benefit the Times Up Legal Defense Fund, which subsidizes legal support for individuals who have experienced sexual harassment or related retaliation in the workplace. 10% of all sales from food during dinner will be contributed to the fund. ”
Juliet held a “Sunday Community Night” At Juliet on Jan 21, 2018
10% of food sales donated to the Times Up Legal Defense Fund
http://www.julietsomerville.com/romeos/
Ryan Clancy from Bounce in Milwaukee, Wis. said:
“We’re hosting our Unauguration Ball in order to support several organizations whose work has become increasingly vital during this first year under Trump. These are the organizations that defend our civil rights, public education, safety and our neighbors, friends and employees. A year ago, we became a Sanctuary Restaurant to take a stand against the hateful, divisive rhetoric which Trump’s campaign fomented. As that rhetoric has become policy, it is increasingly important that institutions like ours take public stands to push back against these policies and legislation which have such a terrible impact on the most vulnerable in our community. This is our way of standing with our neighbors, employees, family and friends.”
Bounce held a solidarity event on the evening of 1/19/18. More at http://www.bouncemilwaukee.com
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More about Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United): www.rocunited.org
More about Presente: www.presente.org