Meet NSC’s Board: An Interview with ROC United’s Dr. Sekou Siby

This week, NSC announced the election of three new leaders to its Board of Directors . Since then, I’ve been interviewing each of these exceptional leaders to share how they’ve been working to shape inclusive skills policy and what they hope to accomplish as a new NSC board member.

In this third and final interview, I sat down with Dr. Sekou Siby, CEO of Restaurant Opportunity Center (ROC) United  where he leads efforts to build worker power to promote policies that improve the lives of restaurant workers and their communities. Dr. Siby co-founded ROC United after surviving the 9/11 terrorist attacks during a time when he worked as a cook at the Windows on the World restaurant. 

Andy Van Kleunen: You have established yourself as a national leader in job quality strategies for the restaurant industry. Since you founded ROC, training and advancement opportunities for restaurant workers have been part of those strategies. Why is that? 

Dr. Sekou Siby: The restaurant industry is one of the largest sectors of the U.S. economy, employing over 11 million workers nationwide. But by and large the industry has among the lowest-paying jobs with few, if any, work benefits. The history of structural racism, systemic discrimination and wage theft have exacerbated the economic inequities in the industry, thrusting many low-wage restaurant workers–the majority of whom are people of color, women and immigrants–into poverty. Despite working long hours, and often juggling between two or multiple jobs, millions of restaurant workers and their families still struggle to make ends meet.  

ROC United exists to address, confront, and change these deplorable working conditions. Aside from our engagement in activism to expose labor violations of unscrupulous employers, push for policies that would increase the wages of restaurant workers, and ensure that these workers are equally protected at work, an essential pillar of our mission is to provide training and professional development opportunities for restaurant workers. At our CHOW Institute, for example, we build worker-power when we create a direct pathway towards economic mobility. We educate workers about their rights in the workplace to speak out against harassment, intimidation, discrimination, retaliation and wage theft.  

In addition, we teach them new areas of expertise–servers now know how to bartend or hosts can now manage a restaurant–to help them move up the industry ladder. We advance the interests and areas of expertise of restaurant workers when we provide new skills-based training or enhance their current skills. In this unprecedented time when restaurants are seeking managerial skills in the wake of the Great Resignation, we strive to equip restaurant workers with ideas, and connect them with institutions, policymakers and high-road restaurant employers to expand their network and, in the end, contribute to make the industry work for everyone.  

Andy Van Kleunen: To say that the hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic would be an understatement. How has the need for effective workforce development policy changed or intensified for restaurant workers as a result of the pandemic? 

Dr. Sekou Siby: The COVID-19 pandemic has altered and decimated the restaurant industry. Nearly all restaurant workers have experienced a dramatic change in their job status, resulting in job and income losses. So, coupled with local, state and federal policies that address the longstanding labor abuses and inequities, as well as support the wellbeing of restaurant workers, effective workforce development is vital to strengthen and rebuild the industry post-pandemic.  

Priority areas include additional government funding to train low-wage workers, policies that support a better partnership between employers and workforce development agencies with an emphasis on apprenticeships, equitable access to high-speed internet, and free or low-cost e-learning equipment and platforms in order to close the digital divide. And policies that fund partnerships between community colleges and nonprofits who attend to workers needs, and smart policies to encourage businesses develop career pathways and continuous professional development of their workforce are also needed. 

Specifically, ROC has partnered with Workforce Professionals Training Institute  (WPTI) to prepare workers for a long-term recovery. We have also strengthened our partnership with high-road restaurant employers through our RAISE (Restaurants Advancing Industry Standards in Employment) initiative, striving to make the industry more sustainable. And we have launched our partnership with SUNY Empire College,  where restaurant workers and their family members will now have access to scholarships and affordable, flexible–either in-person or online–bachelor and master’s degree programs. 

If the workforce is empowered with skills and education, has access to short- and long-term needed financial and technological resources, and effective policies are implemented to support them, restaurant workers will be able to adapt to the changing social norms and business practices. This will also foster job growth and new businesses and, eventually, get the restaurant industry back on track.  

Andy Van Kleunen: As a member of our Retail and Hospitality Industry Recovery Panel over the last year you’ve helped to lead our policy development and advocacy efforts toward an inclusive economic recovery. Why did you decide to accept the nomination to join NSC’s board and what do you hope to accomplish as a new member? 

Dr. Sekou Siby: One of our primary concerns is ensuring everyone has the opportunity to grow into a high-quality job in the industry. About one-fifth of the jobs in the industry provide thriving wages sufficient to raise a family. Those jobs are concentrated in front-of-the-house fine dining positions and are overwhelmingly offered to one particular demographic. Workers of color are largely segregated to positions in the back-of-the-house, and women, who are the majority of the industry, are largely segregated to front-of-the-house positions in casual full service restaurants.  

All workers deserve the same opportunity to grow and succeed in this industry, and workers are now demanding these expanded opportunities. If restaurants are to thrive, they must provide higher wages and benefits such as paid sick days to all workers. However, wages and basic benefits are not enough. We need to ensure that additional supports such as adequate childcare and healthcare are in place so that restaurant workers can truly thrive. The Retail and Hospitality Industry Recovery Panel is a crucial venue to re-envision what a successful restaurant industry can be. 

I am truly honored to be nominated to join the National Skills Coalition board. On behalf of ROC United, my leadership and partnership with NSC would bolster our programs, advocacy and policy efforts across the country. The important work is far from over, but we are committed to our mission and the values of equity, justice and inclusion in the restaurant industry. Along with NSC and partners, there’s no doubt that we will achieve our goals to better serve millions of restaurant workers this year and beyond.