Do you want someone with the flu or a cold to have to make your sandwich? Do you want to have to work when you’re sick? Do you think workers should be able to afford to take a day off?
In cities across the US, restaurant workers aren’t allowed to and often can’t afford to take a day off when they are sick. But this barbaric practice might be about to change. In Minneapolis, MN, the IWW Jimmy John’s Workers Union is waging a campaign for paid sick days… and winning. Until now, management at the Miklin Enterprises Jimmy John’s disciplined and even fired workers who stayed home while sick without getting their shift covered. After months of pressure from union members, the franchise owners have begun to crack. The owners recently announced a new policy which allows workers to call in up to five times in a year without being fired. We still have a long way to go, but this concession shows that together, we can make our voices heard.
continue reading