Low Wages, Not Low Skill: A Panel Discussion on Hospitality Workers' Rights
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
6:00 PM-7:15 PM
The leisure and hospitality industry has long been filled with low wage, high risk jobs often staffed by women and people of color struggling to get by with little support. Pandemic-created labor shortages kickstarted a much-needed conversation about hospitality industry workers’ rights. Today, industry professionals are leading efforts to unionize staff, promote worker health and safety, and advocate for fair wages and benefits.
Join the Drexel Hospitality Society and organization leaders committed to improving the Philadelphia food, beverage, and lodging industry as they discuss hospitality workers' unmet needs and rights. Topics of discussion include minimum and tipped wages, health insurance, paid sick leave, mental health support, unionization, and more.
Panelists include:
- Maria Campbell, Cooks Who Care - Cooks Who Care is a Philly-based organization that supports the well-being of people working in all facets of the food and beverage industry. Founded by Chefs Maria and Scott Campbell, they are dedicated to building a community that supports employers and employees as they strive to prioritize physical, mental, and financial health both on and off the job.
- Calvin Okunoye, Restaurant Opportunities Center Pennsylvania - ROC PA is a chapter of the national non-profit organization, ROC United, which advocates for dignity, respect, and justice for restaurant workers. They have successfully enacted paid sick days in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and have passed several progressive measures to protect workers in Philadelphia. They focus on building coalitions to advance industry standards for workers across the commonwealth and are currently advocating for a minimum wage of at least $15 per hour and the elimination of the sub-minimum tipped wage.
- Ben Fileccia, Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association - The Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association strives to promote, protect, and improve the hospitality and tourism industries in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Contact Information
Natalie Shaak
nds37@drexel.edu