Saru Jayaraman Fights for One Fair Wage

Distinguished

The battle over raising the minimum wage for tipped workers and permitting tip pooling bounces to the Massachusetts ballot this November. Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at UC Berkeley, argues that the current tipped wage structure perpetuates low pay and high turnover. Although the wage increase would occur over five years, opponents assert the mandate would be detrimental to some small and independent restaurants and could fail to increase employee job satisfaction and retention.

This episode is part of the Tipping and Wage Series where we explore the various angles of this debate with restaurant owners, advocates, academics, and consumers to gain a deeper understanding of the bottom line.

Boston University School of Hospitality Administration is committed to presenting topics shaping the hospitality industry's future with thoughtful and constructive discussion that respects different perspectives. We welcome your input and feedback. Email us at [e-mail]

Tipping and Wages Series podcasts:

The Psychology of Tipping with Michael Lynn, Ph.D., Professor of Services Marketing, Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration

The matters that Massachusetts Restaurant Association wages for (and against) with Stephen Clark, President of MRA

Restauranteur's Dilemma of Balancing Equity and Economics with TJ Callahan, co-founder and owner of Farm Bar

California Raises Minimum Wage for Fast-Food Workers with Chris Simms, CEO and Founder of Lazy Dog

Referenced in this podcast:

Always Essential, Still Waiting for Change: Service Worker Fatalities and Inequities During COVID and Post-Pandemic, March 2024
Dean’s Distinguished Speakers Series with Saru Jayaraman, presented by BU School of Hospitality, February 7, 2024

Press Release: Department of Labor Renews Multi-Year Initiative to Provide Enforcement, Outreach, Education for Restaurant Workers: 85% of investigations find violations in fiscal year 2021

The “Distinguished” podcast is produced by Boston University School of Hospitality Administration.

Host: Arun Upneja, Dean
Producer: Mara Littman, Director of Corporate and Public Relations
Sound Engineer and Editor: Andrew Hallock
Graphic Design: Rachel Hamlin, Marketing Manager

Music: “Airport Lounge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0