When I was seventeen years old, I got my first job at a local diner. I enjoyed the busy restaurant environment and could see myself working in this industry for years to come. Fast forward ten years later, management experience, a bit of college under my belt, and I'm still working in the restaurant industry. Sadly, my passion and love for the industry has faded rather quickly all due to my current employer: Eat'n Park. I was 36 weeks pregnant when I was hired at Eat'n Park. To their credit, they were very accommodating with my pregnancy needs and schedule, but I started to notice some things that had me question my employment there. After a typical eight hour shift, we're lucky if we walk out with twenty dollars in our pockets. That's because we're paid the petty wage of $2.83/hour - a wage that hasn't been raised in nearly twenty years, and rely exclusively on widely fluctuating customer tips. We are also often burdened with additional non-tipped work and sometimes forced to give up our tables if the shift supervisor (who makes four times the amount we do) decides that they want some extra money. As a result of the low pay and unfair working conditions, we can't keep staff. Since I started earlier this year, a majority of the people that I trained with have all quit. It's worth noting that the majority of Eat'n Park servers are women, many of them mothers. They're trying to raise a family off the tips and a $3.99 breakfast special. Let's do some math on that one; a 20% tip (considered what people typically tip for excellent service) is a paltry 80 cents. It should come as no surprise that when my coworkers have children (including myself), they can't afford to take much time off work. I managed to take two weeks off after having my son, Connor. Unfortunately, there are many others who can't afford that. The most infuriating part is that what I've shared is only half my story. Arguably the hardest job at Eat'n Park is working in the back of the house. Some of these hardworking guys and gals only make $7.25/hour and haven't seen a raise in YEARS. Let me finish by saying that we support and applaud Eat'n Park for making a genuine effort in being a good community partner, but they need to recognize that we, their employees, are also members of the community. They need to fairly compensate the staff before they run a sophisticated PR campaign to make themselves look good in Pittsburgh. Finding a decent job is tough, it's tougher when we're working full-time and not making any money. We can hustle our whole shift to make sure that our managers and customers are satisfied, but still only leave with a few dollars in our pockets. Something has to change and it has to change NOW. I want to see my fellow employees succeed in life and be secure in their financial and personal lives. I want our back of house employees to FINALLY be rewarded for their work with a raise. Help me bring equality to my fellow co-workers and get some much needed change to our restaurant industry.

My name is Deisy Velasquez, and I am a mother of three children originally from El Salvador. I was working at PMM Companies for a year and a half, cleaning classrooms at KIPP DC's Douglass campus. I was one of only two women working in the building who have children. They were very discriminatory towards us. If we asked for permission to take a day off to take our children to a doctor’s appointment, they would make us take off for a whole week in retaliation, without pay. The supervisor, Geovany, said many times that employees with children caused too many problems - and that he was no longer interested in hearing that we could not work when we couldn’t find childcare or for a doctor’s appointment. What interested him was the work, he acted like he didn't care about our families. Over the summer, I worked from 8am to 4pm. One day, I was told that they would immediately be changing my schedule to 12pm to 9pm. I told Geovany that he had to give me time to coordinate with my babysitter. He told me that if I didn’t like it, that I shouldn’t come back the rest of the week, or the next week. I called him the next Friday, and he didn’t answer. Geovany never answered my call - he told someone else to tell me that if he needed me that he would call me, and if he didn’t call me, then he didn’t need me anymore. He never called me, so I ended up being fired. I have tried to communicate with the central office of PMM Companies, but they told me that my complaints were childish and not important enough for them to handle. I tried to set up an appointment with them, and they canceled it without explanation and without any follow-up. It was devastating to lose my job right before my children went back to school. I did not have the money to buy them back to school supplies. My son's birthday is coming up and he is sad because I don't have money to celebrate. Now we are struggling to get by. I want PMM Companies to reinstate me to my position with my full time schedule, or for them to pay me a severance of two weeks’ wages for the harmful discrimination that I have faced. I also want PMM Companies to fully comply with DC’s Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act and not make employees take off for a whole week in retaliation for taking a sick day. I don’t want anything bad for the company, I just want my job back. I’m not asking a lot, just my job back for the well-being of my children and my family. --------- Mi nombre es Deisy Velasquez, y soy madre de tres niños y originalmente soy del Salvador. Yo estuve trabajando en PMM Companies por año y medio, limpiando las aulas en la escuela KIPP DC Douglass. Era una de dos trabajadoras no más en el edificio que tengo hijos. Nos agarraron una discriminación contra nosotras. Si pidiéramos permiso para llevar a los hijos a una cita, nos mandaron a descansar una semana completa como represalia, y sin pago. Dijo el supervisor, Geovany, varias veces que las trabajadoras con niños causaron muchos problemas - que a él no le interesaba más que dijéramos que no podemos trabajar cuando no tenemos babysitting o para una cita. Lo que a él le interesaba era el trabajo, que no le importaba asuntos familiares. Durante el verano, yo trabaje de 8am a 4pm. Un día, me avisaron que iban a cambiar mi horario, de 12pm a 9pm. Yo le dije al Geovany que me tenía que decir con tiempo para hablar con mi babysitter que cuidaba los niños. De allí, el mandó a decirme que si no me gustaba, que no me preocupara en venir toda la semana, ni la semana que venia. Yo le llame el viernes, y no me contestó. A través de otra persona, Geovany me dijo que si me necesitaba que me iba a llamar, y si no que ya no me necesitaba. Nunca me llamo, asi que salí despedida. He tratado de comunicarme con la oficina central de PMM Companies, pero me han dicho que mis quejas son cosas de niñerias y no tan importantes como los asuntos que ellos atienden. Yo puse una cita con ellos y me la cancelaron sin explicación y sin darme seguimiento. Fue un desastre para mi perder mi trabajo justo antes de que los niños regresaran a la escuela. No tuve el dinero para comprarles sus materiales de la escuela. Y ahorita mi hijo va a cumplir años y no tengo para celebrarlo. Es bien tristoso para mi hijo. Ahora no tenemos para sobrevivir. Yo quiero que me devuelvan a mi trabajo con mi horario de full time, o que me paguen una indemnización igual a dos semanas de pago por la discriminación y el daño que me han hecho. Tambien quiero que PMM Companies cumpla totalmente con la Acta de Días de Enfermedad Pagadas y no tomar represalias contra los trabajadores que toman un día de enfermedad. No quiero un mal para la compañía - quiero nada más que me devuelvan al trabajo. No es mucho que pido, sino que necesito mi trabajo de vuelta para el bienestar de mis hijos y mi familia.

Last May, you asked the nurses of USC to complete a nursing satisfaction survey. As you are aware, 7 South had lower scores in all areas of the survey. We are now asking you to make changes that will not only improve the satisfaction of our nurses, but will also fix the patient safety crisis that is being faced in 7 South. We have struggled with a staffing shortage for over a year, and have been asking you to address the situation since Huron was hired and the nursing restructuring occurred. The deplorable conditions under which we have been working has caused mental and physical stress. We exhibit signs of nursing burnout, yet we are told that we are the cause, and that we need to create a solution in order to be able to have new staff hired into our unit. No consideration has been made into the cause of our fatigue; no thought pondered for the immense amount of pressure under which we work. We have just been told to wait. As patient advocates, this petition is informing you that it is in our professional opinion that we can wait no longer. The staffing crisis is unsafe, and is placing patients and nurses at risk. These demands are what are necessary to increase morale, improve satisfaction scores, increase nurse retention, and prepare us for achieving Magnet status. How bad does the staffing crisis have to be; how many more patients are going to be negatively impacted by not receiving the proper care they need and deserve; and how many more work-related injuries will there be before you recognize the unique needs of 7 South and our patients? You are now notified that in our professional judgments the staffing situation is unsafe and places our patients and staff at risk. Under protest, we will attempt to care for our patients to the best of our ability, but it is you who are now responsible for any adverse effects on patient care due to the staffing crisis. We would like to meet with you and our union representative to discuss a plan of implementation within the next two weeks.

This is important because there is a hiring and retention issue of quality Environmental Compliance Specialists at MDE.

Why is it important? Sleeves get in the way of everything, doesn't matter if we are stocking or helping a customer get their perfect fit. We are your shoe experts and I don't see any other shoe company that I have been into other than Skechers that makes their employees cover up their tattoos. So why treats us differently when we are your experts when we chose your store, your company to work at. One thing I learned from when I worked at Gamestop is that the company is a family. I have that same feeling with Skechers, but why would you force family to cover up something that is who they are when it's not offensive that makes kids smile and that helps connect with the customers so much more? I know with the tattoo policy being looked at and done away with, as long as the tattoos aren't offensive, will being more customers in, will help employee moral, and will help us be over all better. Let us Show our Tattoos

This is a cry for workplace fairness at Coffee Tree. Employers have been utilizing intimidation tactics, shaming and manipulation, and retaliation to rob workers of their basic rights for too long, often taking advantage of employees' lack of familiarity with these work laws. Now is the time to cease these activities. Outlined below are the concerns and clear violations of workers' rights: STOP DENYING PAID REST BREAKS. (Under the ES.C.6 Meal and Rest Periods - Employees are entitled to a minimum 10 minute rest break for each 4 hours worked. The rest period of time must be scheduled as near as possible to the midpoint of the four hours of working time. No employee may be required to work more than three consecutive hours without a rest period). Employers have been exploiting the loophole ("if the nature of the work involves several intermittent rest periods equal to ten minutes, a rest break is not required") to deny workers a 10, even when workers have been working continuously. It's also important to note that the ES.C.6 specifies that a series of ten 1-minute breaks is not sufficient to meet this requirement. Many of us will experience shifts where we work longer hours than we were scheduled for, work continuously, and are entitled to a ten minute break but are either not made aware of this right, or are strongly discouraged from exercising this right. The restructuring of a workers' schedule into double 3.9 hr shifts as punishment for insisting on his or her 10 minute break, while not unlawful, is cheap and abominable. This redesigning not only limits the overall breaks for an employee during an entire workday, but also results in less employee satisfaction and production. Similarly, comparative shaming as a tool to discourage one or more employees from taking rest breaks creates a negative environment where employees don’t feel valued or secure. Employers must honor the work and time of an employee as evidenced in person or in surveillance which entitle the worker to his/her paid break. STOP TRYING TO RESTRICT BATHROOM ACCESS. According to DOSH, restroom breaks cannot be restricted (within reason) and do not count as a paid 10 minute rest break, though employees may choose to use the bathroom on their paid break. This is a basic health and safety right. Intimidating workers by recording length of bathroom breaks and using it as negative commentary in an employee file is despicable. STOP RETALIATING AGAINST EMPLOYEES ADVOCATING FOR THEIR RIGHTS. Concerted activity (activity done to address health/safety concerns or to improve the workplace conditions) is protected from acts of retaliation (firing, cutting of hours, creating unnecessary write-ups, wage/tip deduction). As an employee currently suffering a suspension from positive workplace actions, I am pushing for awareness that this action is not appropriate or legal. STOP UNLAWFUL WAGE DEDUCTIONS. In the training phase, we are told that cash drawer shortages, damage to the store, or excessive waste will result in our wages or tips being garnished to fill those losses. According to the Washington State Legislature (WAC 296-126-025): The only time a workers’ income (hourly wage and tips) should be garnished is with court orders, with a personal agreement with keeping a tab in the workplace, a loan, or some other extenuating circumstance. Cash shortages in tills, and accidental waste/breakage are specifically pointed out as being unlawful reasons for wage deduction. In addition, the employers have never been held accountable and continue to seize half of worker earned tips for themselves. Under FLSA, managerial and professional positions are not eligible to take a cut of tips from tipped employees. Coffee Tree employers must observe these laws, return money unlawfully taken from employees in the past, and cease this procedure altogether. Protecting quantifiable losses of the stores (time and money) at the expense of the businesses' most valuable commodity, the workers, is not lawful or virtuous. Let us strive not only for great coffee and customer care, but also great care of employees. Let us recognize when breaks are warranted. Let us thrive together.

Aside from the obvious impact to what we make as drivers, it seems to me that less drivers are on the road now due to the lower fares. This causes higher drive times to initial pick ups as well as in increase in surge rates. While the surge rates would seem to benefit us, the fact that we are travelling longer distances offsets that and more surges is not good for the consumer. Also, while not explicitly stated, it was implied when fares were cut that this was to combat the winter drop in usage.

In an open letter addressed to administrators and payroll [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4S73m-9UpcxeGVjQldpVThfYTA] José states, “There is a fundamental institutional hypocrisy revealed by this situation. The University pretends to have understanding and to care about students as human beings by creating a mechanism through which we have the right to take emergency leave; but as soon as we leave we become exposed to blackmail from Payroll and Collections. Our so-called “rights” as students are a sham.” UIC brands itself as a social justice university, an institution that is inclusive of poor students of color and especially those experiencing extreme marginalization. José is one of those students. He was not on some vacation, backpacking through Europe or some other “exotic” destination. He was not somewhere surrounded by computers and convenience. Maybe UIC is out of touch with the realities of people’s lives who do not fit a specific social and economic profile. This is not about denying that the payment was made in error or wanting to keep the University’s money. This is about whether the University has the right to treat José as though he went into the Payroll office and took out money and now must be coerced to fix that by placing a hold on his registration. It's about whether the University can deprive him of his status as a student without even giving him a chance to be heard. So far, no one has taken this seriously or tried to work with him to resolve the situation, preferring instead the blackmail approach: pay first, talk later. This is a question of justice, accountability and respect. Please sign on to this letter and help us circulate it. Plans for a meeting with administration are underway, please join us on: Wednesday, August 10. Time: We will gather at 11am (meeting starts at 11:30am) Where: 809 S. Marshfield (6th floor #614) Press Conference: Today, 8/10/16 at 11:15am (809 S. Marshfield). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4S73m-9UpcxN1R1SnZjeTBfVU0/view?usp=sharing) For more information please contact José directly at 773-632-9992 [email protected] or contact GEO at [email protected]

"REI employees live in fear every week wondering if they will get 30 hours or 3 hours...It is impossible to live a stable life." Edward Peters, Sales Specialist, Greensboro, NC. "I am half a paycheck away from being homeless." -William Bass, Sales Specialist, Seattle. "We as employees need a voice." -Tia Kennedy, Admin Assistant, Seattle. "This treatment has gone on far too long, and must stop." Daniel Robinson, Outdoor Instructor, Portland, OR. At Seattle City Hall on July 11th, just under a dozen REI workers publically shared their stories of hardship while working for REI. These employees from across the country, reported erratic schedules, low pay, hunger, poverty, and homelessness. These conditions have been pervasive, despite REI having a well known reputation as an excellent company to work for. REI bosses have promised to improve conditions, but urged workers to keep quiet and only talk individually to their immediate supervisors. Why does REI want to keep improvements quiet? Workers want assurance that REI will make the changes that they so desperately need. By signing this petition, you are telling the CEO and Board that you want them to make the improvements that REI workers want, and that they need. With your help, we can make REI live up to its claims of being: a model leader in the retail industry, a democratic Cooperative not a greedy corporation, an employer that seeks "to maintain an excellent workplace for staff" with a "commitment to responsible corporate citizenship."

The PACCAR formal dress code and shaving policies are out of step with current workplace norms. By eliminating them, employees will be more comfortable while they work and commute. Certain positions may continue to require a formal appearance, but other companies in our industry were able to make these changes decades ago. This is also true of the shaving requirement for men. Shaving doesn't improve performance or commitment to the company. It doesn't increase truck sales. It prevents employees from being themselves and turns personal grooming habits into a management decision. These easily implemented changes would show that PACCAR is an adaptable business and cares about and respects employees. Please consider making these changes as soon as possible.

The labor situation has gone from tight to infuriating. Labor has been cut so much in corporate stores, that one call-off (an employee calling in sick) impacts the entire day, as managers are directed to cut shifts to save on labor costs. Baristas trying to work more than 25 hours a week (myself included) find that a near impossible task. You end up taking it personally, when corporate directs your stores to understaff, and under schedule. You wonder if they realize how difficult it is to pay your bills when you work 25 hours a week? Right now, the labor allowed to stores is so dire that it’s killing morale, companywide. Let it be stated that this job isn’t a hard one. It’s demanding, but it’s easy work, if trained properly. Customers want their coffee and they want it in a timely fashion. As labor continues to be cut, it creates an atmosphere where baristas are worn to the bone without being able to take a breath. Cleanliness suffers, speed of service suffers, partners suffer. Many baristas are twenty-something college students, living at home. Many more are people like myself, artists, writers, breadwinners, who depend on their income. The tip situation has also drastically changed. Before the implementation of a Starbucks Reward program (MSR), tips were higher. Now, with a growing percentage and majority of customers using the app, and their registered cards, tips are in major decline. When you factor that in with actual take home pay, it’s a scary place to be. The way Starbucks frames itself, is that it’s a company worth investing in, worth being loyal to. Because of the health care, the benefits, the 401K, the stock, on the outside, why wouldn’t you want to invest yourself, as an employee to a great company? (and it is a great company). Realistically, investing in starbucks, as an employee, is becoming more difficult. Hours are becoming more elusive as store managers hire 10-20 employees at 20-25 hours a week, sacrificing tenured employees. At Starbucks, tenure makes no difference. These days, a 7 year employee makes as much as a new hire. Experience is given no merit. Right now, the labor climate keeps most baristas regularly underemployed, enough to qualify for benefits, but not enough to afford to pay for them. The most frustrating aspect lately is the pay, and having to commute to work for a 4.5 hour shift, while spending over an hours worth of pay to get yourself there. Labor is the real bone of contention, in addition to the drinks that corporate continues to roll out, (absent the labor to support them, as in years past), baristas also continue to struggle in their stores, with more expectation, with less support staff. These days, baristas do the work for two to three people as labor isn’t just cut to save money, it’s under cut, so stores are intentionally understaffed. I love Starbucks. As an artist, and a fan of process, it’s a job that plays into that love (and to my strengths), and a genuine connection to people and customers of all ages, races, genders, and expressions. The Starbucks culture is singular. I haven’t experienced it anywhere else. What’s happening is a slow extinction of that culture. As less and less people are staffed in stores the pressure mounts. THIS is what needs to change.

Rideshare business in the city areas of San Francisco is pretty constant - there are PLENTY of riders and drivers to keep business flowing smoothly. In the Napa & Sonoma Valleys, riders are farther away and drivers are not as plentiful. It is not uncommon to be asked to drive for 20 to 30 minutes to pick up a customer, who then requests a 3 minute drive......profit for drivers is next to nothing on trips like these. Customers ask drivers to wait for them at wineries in remote locations. After Uber 25% is deducted, drivers make $9.90 an hour while waiting - not a profitable choice. Many customers ask if they can hire me for the day to drive them from winery to winery - I believe there is a market in Napa for this sort of rideshare option. In addition, I get many requests to drive from Napa to the airports. It is a 75 mile drive from Calistoga to SFO - which is a respectable fare. BUT, I still have a 75 mile drive to get back home, plus the cost of gas, bridge tolls and the hour and a half of driving with an empty car. So the bottom line is that the original respectable fare is greatly diluted......