By M.M.
I am a hospitality worker, one of over 88,000 in New Orleans, the seventh most popular tourist destination in the world. The New Orleans economy relies overwhelmingly on restaurants and hotels. Hospitality workers generate $7 billion a year, yet we don’t receive a living wage, we receive no sick pay, no vacations, no affordable childcare, no maternity leave, no job security, no pensions, and no protection for immigrant workers. Many of us can’t afford the rising rents. We wait hours for buses, and if we do have a car there’s no safe, free or affordable parking. We are subject to unpredictable scheduling and hours. And we receive no protection from racism, sexual harassment, or other forms of discrimination.
My last job was at a crawfish and catering restaurant in mid city. When I was hired, I was particularly excited because the owner said they would train me as a cook. Escaping the customers and the sexual harassment that often comes with them sounded great. Unfortunately, sexual harassment is just as common in the back of house. Workers are expected to brush off sexual harassment; owners, management, and male co-workers alike claim that’s just the way restaurant kitchens are. Despite this normalization when a co-worker touched me inappropriately several times during my time working there, I slapped him and kicked him out of the kitchen. We deserve better protection from sexual harassment in our work environments.
I would start sweating the moment I entered the kitchen, which reached temperatures as high as 110 degrees. The kitchen staff was expected to cook for everyone in the restaurant, while also preparing pans of jambalaya, red beans, and other local cuisine for catering orders. The owners would often tell us to prepare dishes that were not on the menu for catering events, throwing kitchen workers into a frenzy to prepare unknown recipes, while also in the middle of a dinner rush.
The owners claimed kitchen staff would get tipped out for preparing catering dishes, but we rarely saw those tips. They hired part-time or occasional workers to send on catering jobs; these employees made $10 an hour plus tips. I asked for full time catering work; however, the owners claimed they needed me to stay in the kitchen. They promised I’d get a raise if I stayed. Two weeks later, everyone in the kitchen including me got a pay decrease to $6 an hour. After the pay decrease, our workload grew; they added more and more catering jobs overwhelming the kitchen staff during our busy crawfish season in the restaurant. This kind of exploitative labor must be eradicated. That’s why I joined the New Orleans Hospitality Workers Committee! We are working to unite all hospitality workers and fight for our rights. Give your support and join the fight!