Waffle House workers had meal costs removed from wages without eating

A labor reporter for the HuffPost, Dave Jamieson, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about a few of his recent articles. One article highlighted a complaint raised by organizers against Waffle House, and the other was about a piece of legislation that would remove state subsidies from companies who voluntarily recognize unions through card checks. 

Jamieson recently released an article outlining a complaint from the Union of Southern Service Workers—a Service Employees International Union member— against Waffle House which charges employees for meals whether they take them or not. He talked about the discussions he’s had with employees and how many of the workers don’t eat lunch but still lose upwards of $20 each week while making below minimum wage as a restaurant worker. The workers at the Conyers, Ga. Waffle House featured in the story have gone on strike over the issue.

Another recent article from Jamieson discussed a bill from the Georgia state legislature that would bar companies from receiving state subsidies if they voluntarily recognize a union through card checks. The legislation would force companies to require employees seeking to organize to hold a secret ballot vote. This would allow more opportunities for companies to make further union-busting attempts and make it harder to join a union. Jamieson talked about the potential legality of the bill and how this bill reflects legislation being proposed or passed in several other conservative states.

Finally, Jamieson commented on the use of artificial intelligence at the HuffPost. He said that AI is not currently used in the newsroom, but it is something that their ownership group, Buzzfeed, has discussed. It’s a concern for many journalists, and Jamieson discussed how it could impact the future of original stories if it is not regulated soon. 

Listen to the show above to hear more from Jamieson.