New York City moves to protect food delivery workers

The New York City Council has approved a package of bills designed to strengthen protections for the city’s tens of thousands of food delivery workers. The legislation will give couriers more control over their routes and better access to washrooms and also gets the ball rolling on establishing minimum per-trip payments. In summary, the six […]

How higher pay positively impacts customer service

With a labour shortage sweeping North American foodservice, the pay that restaurant workers receive, particularly the wages of hourly employees, is under review. New research suggests, rather unsurprisingly, that higher pay positively impacts customer service. Researchers at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business compared restaurant reviews where the minimum wage has increased versus those […]

Diversity in foodservice lags behind other industries, finds report

Despite efforts to improve diversity in foodservice, the industry is still lagging behind many other sectors, as well as its own targets, according to a new study from Deloitte and The Food Industry Association (FMI). The report found that while 68 per cent of food and beverage companies are training their employees on diversity and […]

Handling the continuing restaurant labour shortage

It’s no secret that there is a restaurant labour shortage going on in the industry right now. Long recognized as a high-intensity, low-margin sector, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed many restaurant workers out of the industry, and many seem to have no plans to return. RELATED: The hiring dilemma: Luring restaurant workers […]

The hiring dilemma: Luring restaurant workers amid pandemic damage

Foodservice is facing a staffing crisis as many laid off workers show understandable reluctance to return. So what can operators do? By Tom Nightingale It’s been well-documented that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on tight-margin industries like foodservice and hospitality were particularly devastating as closures and numerous restrictions have affected the last 16 months. […]

B.C. introduces paid sick leave for workers

Workers in British Columbia will soon have access to a paid sick leave program that will support them to stay home when they are sick during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation introduced on May 11 will also include permanent paid illness leave. Amendments to the Employment Standards Act will bring in three days […]

ICYMI: Ontario workers now eligible for 3 paid sick days

Ontario workers including foodservice and hospitality employees are finally eligible for three paid COVID-19-related sick days under the new government Bill 284, Putting Ontario Workers First. The Bill amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to require employers to provide employees with up to three paid days of leave related to COVID-19, including: going for […]

Niagara restaurant workers vote to unionize

Press release On March 28, 77 restaurant servers, bussers, and hostesses with the Rainforest Cafe at 4915 Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls voted to unionize by joining Workers United Canada Council. “Workers across Ontario fought tirelessly for new labour laws and a minimum wage increase. When the minimum wage went up, this employer started clawing back their employees’ tips,” […]