"restaurant opportunities centers united" news and stories

Be kind when tipping your waitress next time you dine out. A new report shows restaurant workers around the country may be getting a raw deal from employers, the Washington Post reported.

While restaurants may have bounced back from the economic slump, the industry's workers are still suffering from low wages and a lack of benefits, according to a new report from the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC), a nonprofit organization that advocates better wages and work conditions for restaurant workers, the paper reported.

The average restaurant worker made $12,868 in 2008, compared with $45,371 for employees in the general private sector, according to labor bureau statistics.

The report said 90 percent of restaurant staffers don't get health insurance or sick days, 67 percent go to work sick and 38 percent are forced to work off the clock.