one of my questions for writers asking "why don't writers talk to regular restaurant workers more?" is have you ever tried to talk to restaurant workers? people are afraid to go on the record about the most benign shit. and they don't necessarily have the time or want to.

obviously more of an effort needs to be made, those voices need to be included. but this is as much about a network of sources as anything else. or if you're going through official channels (the restaurant, chef), you're basically talking access.

sometimes people bail on you, sometimes they freak out and ask for you not to publish comments. you have to respect the concerns of someone making $9 an hour. do not flip about their economic insecurity.

when i wrote this, i had someone call me from a blocked number, confirming one of the worst rumors i heard. i'd already published something, protecting people's anonymity. but he refused to corroborate his identity... (more) https://www.grubstreet.com/2020/05/eataly-workers-say-they-feel-betrayed-by-a-new-payment-plan.html

say anything that would prove he was who he said he was. i knew who put us in touch, and he had, she told me, talked very confidently about wanting to get this out there. but when we spoke, he was afraid, and wouldn't. can't blame him!

so many of these people are marginalized, working class, or undocumented. they're weighing concerns about speaking out and their possibly precarious livelihoods. let's not even talk about whether or not they trust you. do they trust the media? should they?

people go off on twitter, armchair editing and talking an industry (media) that they've worked in for years. if you do not have these sources, or are not writing these stories, well hello!

here's an as told to we published today, with a texas bartender who describes what is, more or less, the nightmare situation many speculated would happen: she got sick, has a bad boss, lost her income, and is immunocompromised. https://www.grubstreet.com/2020/07/a-bartender-was-warned-not-to-talk-about-getting-covid-19.html