11/15/2020
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor
70 West Hedding Street
East Wing, 10th Floor
San Jose, CA 95110
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.
I am writing in support of Item #17 of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting agenda which aims to investigate complaints of unsafe working conditions in fast food restaurants and complaints of retaliation by whistleblowers. As our communities face the threat of rising COVID-19 cases, we urge the Board to take meaningful action to protect these essential workers who have served our communities throughout this pandemic.
Here in Santa Clara County, fast food workers were told by employers they were essential and had to show up to work, but those employers treated workers as anything but essential, failing to protect them and putting their lives, and those of communities of color across the state at risk.
Fast-food is a superspreader industry, as its low-cost, high-volume business model encourages restaurants to utilize the smallest spaces possible to serve the largest number of people. Fast-food kitchens are crowded and fast-paced, with small work areas and frequently shared equipment. Most fast-food restaurants have remained open during the pandemic, including 99% of McDonald’s restaurants, and they have systematically failed to provide employees with proper PPE, hazard pay, paid sick leave and other key health and safety protections.
I thank Board President Chavez for introducing Item 17 and urge the Board members to support her recommendations. Fast food workers cannot face billion-dollar companies like McDonald’s alone; government intervention is needed to truly protect this workforce, their families and the public they serve.
We appreciate your consideration of our concerns.
Sincerely,
Pastor Jethroe Moore II, President
