UNC Asheville Graduate Advocates for Fair Treatment and Livable Wages for Service Workers in Asheville
In Asheville, a city where the food and beverage industry plays a crucial role, one advocate is fighting for the rights of service workers. Bri Snyder, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA), is campaigning for fair treatment, livable wages, affordable parking, and more for service workers. She fights on behalf of Asheville Food and Beverage United (AFBU), a worker-led trade union, and she is currently running for a position on its steering committee.
The Plight of the Service Industry
“Asheville is a tourist-based economy, which makes the service industry large and vital to the city’s success,” Snyder explains. However, the struggles these essential workers endure extend beyond the food and beverage industry. Issues such as lack of affordable parking in downtown Asheville and high cost of living have increasingly become a primary concern for these workers.
According to 2022 data reported by Andrew James of WLOS, 4 in 10 Western North Carolina residents spend over 50% of their income solely on housing. “This doesn’t leave room for healthcare or savings, and these jobs don’t come with retirement plans, so the future of these workers is bleak,” Snyder asserts. A 2023 Point in Time annual census also reported 573 houseless people in Asheville, a number continually escalating due to Asheville’s rapidly fast rate of gentrification, currently the second highest in the U.S.
The Goals of Asheville Food and Beverage United
The AFBU seeks to leverage power through unionizing to influence a shift in the power dynamics of the service industry. Significant to the organization’s platform is the goal of fair scheduling, a living wage for all service workers, and paid time-off for sick leave.
Snyder envisions “workers gaining more power through [the] unionizing [efforts] of AFBU,” she shares. “I want the workers of Asheville to recognize there is power in numbers and we must utilize that power.”
Joining the Fight
People interested in joining AFBU can do so on their website. Those who cannot afford to pay dues can apply for and receive a waiver, ensuring that all service workers can still be a member, regardless of their financial situation. Snyder encourages more people to get involved, stating, “The more members we have, the more we can help each other.”
AFBU collaborates with Just Economics of Western North Carolina, a membership-based advocacy group. Together, they strive for sustainable economies and fair treatment of all workers. By standing alongside one another, they hope to bring about a revolutionary change in the treatment of service workers and the industry itself.
As the struggle continues, Snyder and her colleagues at Asheville Food and Beverage United will continue their fight, advocating for the basic rights and fair treatment of service workers in Asheville. As Snyder explains, “Being in a community that is experiencing the same thing and is motivated to do something about it has given me purpose and it’s given my anger about the situation a healthy outlet.”
