Why Waffle House workers across the South are demanding higher pay

Waffle House workers and labor organizers with the Union of Southern Service Workers are demanding higher wages, saying many employees struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living despite working nights, holidays and severe weather. Waffle House says it has made “an over $200 million dollar investment” in worker pay in the past decade, along with offering “industry leading benefits” to associates in its restaurants— which are not formally unionized. Organizers argue the campaign is part of a broader labor movement gaining momentum in the South, where union membership remains among the lowest in the country. Here’s a look into the changing landscape of labor politics in the South. Credits: