What   is   Happening   at   darden?

Listen to Ignacio, Jose, & Alex's Stories  New York City

Listen to Elose's Story Miami

Listen to Jay & Marcus' Stories Washington, D.C. area

Listen to Carlos' Story Chicago

Listen to Javier's Story Los Angeles

Nearly  all   the    black   servers   at   the   Chevy   Chase   Capital   Grille  were   fired   and  told   that   they  "didn’t    meet   Capital   Grille    standards." 

READ THE "BLACKS IN THE  INDUSTRY" BRIEF HERE

The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United has launched a campaign against Capital Grille and its parent company, Darden Restaurants, after Capital Grille workers in DC, Chicago, and New York City came forward with claims against the company ranging from discrimination to wage theft. Capital Grille workers in DC, Chicago, and NYC filed a claim in US District on January 31st .  On February 15th, workers from Capital Grille in Los Angeles joined the struggle. On February 28th, Miami Capital Grille workers also launched their campaign and added their claims to the litigation. The campaign started at a DC-area Capital Grille restaurant, where workers approached ROC United complaining of racial discrimination - nearly all the black servers at the Chevy Chase, MD Capital Grille were fired and told that they ‘didn’t meet Capital Grille standards.’ The restaurant’s only living-wage jobs, server and bartender positions, are held almost exclusively by white workers. After speaking with more workers, ROC United found that a number of other workers at the restaurant corroborated these problems. The workers’ charges are aimed at the company’s policies and practices, and not at any alleged racism of any individual.

ROC   found  that  workers   of  all  races,    in   the   front     &  the   back  of the   house,                    SAID    They  WERE    experiencing   different  forms  of abuse  
at   Capital   Grille   restaurants.   

Javier Rosas, recent Los Angeles Capital Grille dishwasher, reads workers' demands to management at LA campaign launch!

- Workers said they were being forced to work through their breaks, off the clock, and overtime without being compensated.  - Tipped workers were made to do non-tipped work while still being paid their lower tipped wage which, in many Darden restaurants, is as low as $2.13/hour. - Servers complained of having to tip out 4% of gross sales to other workers (even if they were not tipped on all of those sales!).   - Workers said they were made to take on additional positions - servers are also food runners, dishwashers are janitors and window cleaners - without receiving any additional compensation.  - Workers hours in the back of the house are being cut but at the same time, they are being forced to take on more work - Workers complained of unfairness and discrimination in application of disciplinary procedures   - Also, ROC-United found that paths to promotions were closed for many workers of color ROC-United is asking that the company sit down and meet with ROC-United and the workers to resolve the workers’ concerns in a meaningful manner. This effort is supported by ROC-United and our nearly 9,000 restaurant worker members in nine cities.