About two weeks ago I was standing in EmCafe during the lunch rush. Orders were piling up, the workers were failing behind, and many people waiting kept approaching the counter to ask if their food was on the way. I too was starting to get anxious. I had allotted myself twenty minutes to get lunch before my next class, and my time had dwindled to about three minutes.
That’s when a student behind me started to criticize the workers – loudly. He talked to no one in particular, wondering aloud how the workers had gotten their jobs, whether they could understand English, and expressing surprise that they were “actually moving around” instead of “staring blankly into the air like they usually do.” He tried to make eye contact with others around him, looking for support. A few people politely smiled and laughed uncomfortably, which only encouraged him.
I eventually left the café (bagel-less, I might add) feeling really upset. Sure, I was frustrated I’d lost three dollars in board bucks, but I was mostly mad at myself. I should have turned around and told this guy to knock it off, but I didn’t.
Last week, I had the chance to interview two food service workers about their fight for unionization. They were full of passion, information, and kindness. They talked to me about inconsistent break times, hours being cut, and harsh managers. They talked to me about trying to live on a paycheck barely above minimum wage, about not getting a raise in ten years.
So, boy in EmCafe, that stress you feel when you don’t get your bagel with egg and cheese within five minutes? Multiply that by a thousand. Imagine working over forty hours a week and not knowing if you can afford rent this month. Imagine starting your day at 6am and not getting a break until dinner. Imagine having your hours cut after last week’s check barely covered the bills.
And then imagine someone calling you lazy.