Waffle House Employees Demand Better Labor Conditions Following Death of 18-Year-Old Employee

Waffle House employees are demanding better labor conditions following the tragic death of an 18-year-old employee. The casual dining chain, long known for its viral “brawls,” is not doing enough to keep its employees safe, according to their complaints. Let’s take a look at the details of what they’re demanding and what could be next for the popular food spot.

Waffle House Employees Have Had Enough

The Daily Tar Heel reports that an 18-year-old Waffle House employee in Laurinburg, North Carolina, was shot and killed while working on Sept. 16, 2024. The tragedy raised awareness of the long-running fight for safer working conditions by Waffle House employees throughout the South.

According to a news release from the Laurinburg Police Department, a guest at the restaurant became irate and verbally abusive against staff members while his food was being cooked at approximately 12:45 a.m. After leaving the building, he turned around and, aiming in the direction of the restaurant, shot Burlie Dawson Locklear twice. Locklear, a recent high school graduate, passed away after being transported to the hospital.

“I read the story, and I cried,” Cindy Smith, a 30-year waitress at the restaurant, said to the outlet. “That innocent baby did not deserve to lose his life because that man wanted to be stupid. Waffle House should have had security in place. If they did, that baby would still be here.”

Unfortunately, according to labor organizers, the tragedy of Burlie Dawson Locklear is quickly becoming a norm, not an outlier. Other employees who spoke to The Daily Tar Heel revealed the number of times that pistols were waved in their faces and they were caught in the crossfire of brawls. That’s why Smith joined the Union of Southern Service Workers, who has led the Waffle House workers’ campaign to seek safer working conditions.

Along with a petition asking Waffle House to comply with their three demands — safety at work, an end to unfair paycheck deductions, and fair wages — the USSW said, “We refuse to be exploited — and so we’re getting organized.”

Recently Increased Wages

So far, only one of those demands has been met: increased wages back in June. But those wage increases came at a price to the consumer — the company raised the prices on its menus in response.

Following a string of strikes orchestrated by the Union of Southern Service Workers, which represents Waffle House employees, this decision was made. A $25 hourly wage for all employees, round-the-clock restaurant security because of the rise in in-store violence, and an end to the company’s practice of taking $3.15 out of employees’ paychecks every day for meals, whether or not they eat at work, were among the requests made by the union.

Waffle House boosted menu prices to pay for these salary hikes. Because living expenses are higher in metropolitan areas, price increases will be more noticeable there. In a video message to staff, CEO Joe Rogers III clarified at the time that suburban areas would see more moderate pricing increases, while customers in urban areas would face bigger price increases. To justify the higher rates, Rogers underlined that the company promises to improve cleanliness, service, hospitality, and portion sizes to improve the overall client experience.

Despite these price increases, a Roosevelt Institute analysis indicated that the fast-food sector is profitable enough to cover increased operating expenses without having to raise prices much or lay off employees. According to the survey, fast-food prices have increased by almost 47% in the last 10 years, and last year’s prices were 27% more than their production costs. This suggests that the sector might handle wage increases without placing an undue burden on consumers.