Read on Twitter
i told you there's quite a controversy unfolding in my city over a restaurant breaking covid rules. many people still support this restaurant bcz 'they keep us safe!' and their FB page is covered with 'they keep us safe by making workers clean' type comments. https://twitter.com/DKThomp/status/1287726253131419650
lost in 'keeping us safe' is the idea that workers need to be kept safe too. what consumers are buying is exactly that 'hygiene theater'--workers working in unsafe conditions to make consumers feel like they are 'being kept safe.'
that restaurant (it is rumored by workers--keeping both the name and the workers unnamed cuz nothing is proven) is denying workers breaks and they aren't allowed to eat or drink while working- *as a safety measure*.
they are 'keeping consumers safe' by making their workers work full capacity restaurant with half the staff with no breaks and no food/water. this restaurant has full capacity by moving all their seating outside. in july, we've had a solid three weeks of 90 degree + days.
servers are serving people outside in 90 degree heat with masks on and can't even get a sip of water bcz 'hygiene,' but at least consumers 'feel safe'!
eating out is one of my single most favorite things to do. i love relaxing, taking my time over even shitty coney island food, talking and laughing with whomever i am with--i often even go alone, with a book and a notepad and read/write over a nice meal.
outside of going to the theater, going out to eat is something i miss the absolute most. i will not ever go out to eat as long as this crisis is in play tho, bcz i also worked at restaurants for years and i *know* what is happening behind the scenes.
trust and believe--it is the *norm* that workers are treated like shit, not the exception. it is the *norm* to put workers at risk so consumers can 'feel' something wonderful like safety or love or fun or like a family.
take your food to go. pay attn to facebook pages of the restaurants you love. there are two restaurants i get take out from since COVID outbreak and both of those have updates from owners saying things like 'we took votes from our workers'--
and have comments from the workers and their families. you can never tell for sure for sure unless you work in a place. but lots of times, even just superficial scanning of social media can tell you a lot.
and at this time, your fav restaurants shouldn't be waiting to say they're taking care of their workers anyway. they *should* be making posts about what they're doing to ensure *worker* safety, first and foremost.
if they're only blathering about 'keeping 'you' safe'--it deserves some questioning and deeper digging.
