A couple of years ago, my mom was hospitalized for high blood pressure. It took more than 5 days in the hospital to get her pressure under control and another month on drugs to make the "control" more consistant.
The hardest thing about that time is that my mom is a waitress. She's worked at the same restaurant for the past 34 years. She gets some paid time off, sort of. Her company pays her leave based on an average of hours worked per week and pays her out at the waitress rate. When she became ill in Ohio, she was making all of $2.10 an hour.
Why this is important this year as opposed to any other year, well, that's on the flip, come on, join me...
Waitresses and waiters and other tipped employees all over the country more often than not receive no paid leave. My mom is the exception, not the rule and at $2.10 per hour, the paid leave she receives in a lump sum check in October (not when the leave was taken, but based on her anniversary date) amounts to a drop in the bucket.
For my favorite servers in DC, there is no rule or requirement that any restaurants in the area provide any leave to employees. What that means to you and me is that they serve when they're sick.
So, say for instance, you want to head to Mr. Henry's for a Turkey burger and hot apple cider (okay, it's the best hot cider in town). Say for instance that your server has had the flu and has now come back to work far too early. Today, he's serving you. Aren't you thrilled?
The associations representing restaurants have been up in arms over a proposed rule for the District that will require all businesses that have employees in the District to provide paid leave, up to 5 days per year.
To get this past, the Democratic Councilmembers have compromised on the timeframe and are now compromising to special insterests over the needs of their constituents.
From the DC Union City e-news (no direct link available, indirect is HERE),
A sea of purple and blue-clad supporters of paid sick leave will pack the seats of the 5th floor DC Council Room Tuesday to press Councilmembers to approve the Accrued Sick and Safe Days bill. The bill – which receives its final vote Tuesday – has faced intense last-ditch opposition from the Chamber of Commerce and threats of amendments to weaken the bill by some Councilmembers. "We're going down to the wire on this one," said Karen Minatelli of the DC Employment Justice Center. "We need to keep up the pressure on the Council to vote this bill forward on Tuesday with no more delays and no more exemptions." "We're planning a high-energy action to make sure our voices are heard," said Ruth Castel-Branco of DC Jobs with Justice, who's helping organize a street theater performance for the vote. The bill would give DC workers paid time off to take care of their own health, the health of family members, or to address domestic violence situations. If passed, it would only be the second of its kind in the country.
So that I'm clear on this:
If you're in the District on Tuesday (tomorrow) and can lend a hand, please drop a line to Mackenzie Baris, mbaris@dclabor.org.
But DC isn't the only one weighing this issue, again, from Union City e-news,
On Friday, the National Partnership for Women and Families launched a national online rally to support the Healthy Families Act – federal legislation that would guarantee all US workers seven paid sick days a year –reports Doug Cunningham of Workers Independent News. "57 million American workers have no paid sick days," Cunningham reports
So, if you have a minute, take a look at the on-line rally and even more importantly, sign up and tell a friend!
From the Rally:
Nearly half of private sector workers don’t get a single paid sick day to recover from illness, and 94 million workers don’t have a single paid sick day to care for a sick family member.
This must change! That’s why I’m asking you to join the Online Rally for Healthy Families.
This interactive online rally in front of the U.S. Capitol features video statements from elected officials, community leaders, union members, and students alike. It also showcases personal stories and photos submitted from people across the country, like me, who support paid sick days.
Learn more and join the rally at EveryoneGetsSick.org. You can tell your story about why paid sick days are important and upload your photo too.
So, I'm asking you all to help my mom and others like her with little or no paid leave from work. No one should have to work sick. Now that I've told my story, I hope you will, too.
Thank you to the Metropolitan Washington Council, an AFL-CIO "Union City" Central Labor Council whose 200 affiliated union locals represent 150,000 area union members. JOSLYN N. WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT for the permission to reprint their e-news.
For other labor related news or commentary, you can catch up on a few issues on my blog, Women, Unions and Our Stories