“Most essential workers are struggling to pay rent and buy food. The cost of living is high, the
salaries are low… It is impossible to save money. As workers in the service industry, we are the
backbone of New York State’s economy, yet our wages have stagnated while the cost of living
continues to soar. This imbalance forces many of us to make impossible choices—like whether
to heat our homes or buy groceries—leaving us in a constant state of financial insecurity.”
—Dee Marie Nessel, New York Tipped Worker