- Book Discussion: "Behind the Kitchen Door"
by Saru Jayaram - Unitarian Universalist Church
27074 Patwin Road, Davis - uudavis.org
This is a discussion of Saru Jayaraman’s book "Behind the Kitchen Door," which exposes the low wages and hostile working conditions of restaurant employees in the U.S. Jayaraman, who after 9/11 launched a national restaurant workers organization, Restaurant Opportunities Center United, tells the stories of 10 restaurant workers in cities across the country as she explores the political, economic, and moral implications of eating out. The book describes how poor working conditions--including discriminatory labor practices, exploitation, and unsanitary kitchens--affect the meals that are served to all of us. What is at stake when we choose a restaurant is not only our own health, but also the health and well-being of the second-largest private sector workforce--10 million people, many of them immigrants, and many of them people of color.
The discussion of "Behind the Kitchen Door" will be led by Martha West, Professor Emerita from UC Davis Law School, who specializes in employment and labor law. West will focus on steps people can take to address the problems faced by restaurant workers and will raise the question of whether other cities should consider enacting local ordinances similar to San Francisco’s, mandating living wages and at least 5 to 10 paid sick days a year for local workers.
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Date:
Sunday, April 13, 2014 - 12:30pm