Claiming that the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. "Obamacare," will cost them millions, Papa John's, Olive Garden, and other restaurant chains are announcing that they will begin instituting higher menu prices and huge cuts to employees' hours. One Denny's franchise owner suggested that if customers were upset about paying the surcharge, they could choose to reduce tips to their servers to offset the increase. Meanwhile, some corporate executives are matter-of-factly admitting that to avoid passing the cost onto consumers they will simply evade the obligation to insure their workers by shifting to a part-time workforce. While it is appalling that restaurant employers are pronouncing their intention to ensure that workers don't receive basic benefits, this practice is hardly new.

The restaurant industry has maintained this status quo — in which more than 90 percent of restaurant workers don't have health insurance or paid sick days — by intervening to defeat the passage of paid-sick-day laws. But that's not all. They've also lobbied Congress for decades — yes, more than 20 years — to keep the federal tipped minimum wage at just $2.13 per hour. (And despite laws saying that employers have to make up the difference to reach regular minimum wage when tips fall short, the hard reality is that many employers ignore the law.) The industry is determined to be exempted from any policy aimed at providing fair wages and benefits to its workers.

UUSC partners with the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC-United) to ensure the opposite. As part of our Choose Compassionate Consumption initiative, we're working to make sure that restaurant workers receive what every worker deserves: a living wage, access to standard benefits like paid sick days and health insurance, and a chance to advance. And we need you to join us! We've got a bunch of opportunities to get involved coming up as we help get the word out about Behind the Kitchen Door, a book by ROC-United cofounder Saru Jayaraman that explores these issues.

Besides being the right and moral thing to do, standing up for the rights of restaurant workers is in our best interests as consumers — who wants to go out to dinner to celebrate and be served a side of germs because the waiter or the chef is working while sick?

The primary elections have long since ended; the presidential debates have heightened voter interest; and the most expensive advertising blitz in world history has dulled our senses. Many of us are happy to see this almost two-year-long election season come to an end. Now is the time for every U.S. citizen to exercise his or her most precious right in a democratic society — the right to vote!

All of the partisan pageantry comes down to a dramatic finale on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. On Election Day, we express our values in a direct and public manner. We get to practice the great privilege and responsibility of voting. There are many reasons for U.S. citizens to exercise the right to vote, and it is always disconcerting to learn that the turnout of eligible voters in our country is most often the lowest of all the advanced democracies in the world.

In the United States, the right for all citizens to vote was not provided by law for nearly 200 years, and in many states today, thanks to new ID requirements, there are still barriers that discourage full participation. The original U.S. Constitution essentially provided voting rights for white, adult males, and the concept of universal suffrage was not written into law until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The history of electoral politics is rife with instances of exclusion and marginalization, and this is why it is the moral imperative of all U.S. citizens — regardless of race, religion, or creed — who are above the age of 18 and eligible to vote, to do so.

This is one of the closest presidential elections in U.S. history. In fact, one candidate may win the popular vote and the other the Electoral College vote, the latter of which actually determines the next president. This is what happened in 2000 when former Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote nationally but Gorge W. Bush won the Electoral College vote that was ultimately confirmed by a controversial decision of the U.S. Supreme Court.

As a nonprofit human rights organization, UUSC promotes the right to vote and other democratic processes not only in the United States but in such faraway places as Egypt, Ecuador, Kenya, South Africa, and Myanmar.

Few of our members and supporters can travel to distant countries to help promote human rights. But on Election Day in the United States, virtually all of our more than 40,000 members can be social and political activists by reminding their friends and neighbors that their vote is important in deciding the future course of history in their hometowns, states, and country.

In addition to the presidency, there are elections in every state for all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and in 33 states for the U.S. Senate. Additionally, there are important state and local elections, as well as ballot initiatives in virtually every state, including opportunities in four states to vote on marriage equality. For more information and details about the November 6, 2012, elections in your state and municipality, visit nonprofitvote.org.

As a faith-based organization, we are grounded in the principles of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) denomination, including the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large. In the twentieth century, UUs were in the forefront of campaigns to extend and ensure the right to vote to all citizens regardless of race, gender, class, and other arbitrary identity barriers. During the height of the civil rights movements of the 1960s, UUs were on the front lines of the voting rights movement in Alabama, Mississippi, and other southern states.

On this Election Day, our legacy is in our hands and our moral compass can help determine our future. Far away from the cacophony of the political season, as we walk into the quiet reflection of the voting booth, we can ask ourselves, "What do I stand for? What is the world that I want to see? Who will help us achieve this vision?"

Last Halloween, UUSC members joined with over 150,000 consumers, union allies, and religious groups, as well as over 40 food co-ops and natural grocers calling on Hershey to "raise the bar" and address issues of child and forced labor in their supply chain. I'm excited to tell you that on October 3, the Hershey Company announced that it will source 100 percent of its cocoa from certified cocoa producers by 2020 and bolster its programs to eliminate child labor in West Africa.

UUSC joins with our allies — Green America, Global Exchange, and the International Labor Rights Forum — to congratulate Hershey on this historic step and urge them to release specifics on how they will realize this commitment. So far, it is unclear which certification system the company intends to utilize. This is a critically important question since not all certifications adequately address the worst forms of child labor (as defined by the International Labour Organization's Convention 182).

Hershey has made promises in the past. In 2001, they signed on to the Harkin-Engel Protocol,  also known as the Cocoa Protocol, a voluntary nonbinding agreement in which they joined other cocoa companies and governments in promising to end child labor in cocoa supply chains. Over 10 years later, we have seen few steps from Hershey to fulfill that pledge.

We are cautiously optimistic that Hershey may in fact keep their latest promise — if anything because it will affect their bottom line. Only a week before Hershey's announcement, Whole Foods Market announced it was removing Hershey's Scharffen Berger line from its stores until Hershey took steps to address child labor in its supply chain.

While there is reason to be hopeful, we must also remain vigilant. We join with our allies in asking Hershey to do the following:

1. Establish a system of established third-party certifiers or vendor assurance programs, who will certify that they are in fact changing their policies
2. Set out clear benchmarks for how they will meet their 2020 goal
3. Have an in-house certification team to implement the plan
4. Invest in certification capacity building — in order to meet its goal it must invest in supporting growth of certified products
5. Be transparent and report on the impacts of this program

Regardless of the next steps to ensure that Hershey keeps its promise, we should pause to congratulate all those who have made this happen — including our members who have sent letters to the Hershey Company demanding this change! Consumer pressure works; that is why we encourage you to choose compassionate consumption. If you're interested in more on this issue, I recommend reading the International Labor Rights Forum's statement.

Now, I feel like eating a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup to celebrate — on second thought, not quite yet!

A few weeks ago, we witnessed a major victory for restaurant workers organized by the Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United, a UUSC partner, in this case led by the New York affiliate (ROC-NY). After two years of organizing, restaurant workers in New York City signed a settlement agreement with Del Posto Restaurant, owned by celebrity chef Mario Batali.

The settlement agreement includes paid sick days, new human resource policies, and $1.15 million in back wages. Most importantly, Batali has agreed to join ROC's Restaurant Industry Roundtable as a "high road" partner. News on the settlement made headlines across the country, with coverage from the Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal.

It's important to note that this victory does not just affect the 31 current Del Posto workers immediately involved in the settlement — it will indirectly affect the many other workers within Batali's restaurant group and will have ripple effects for restaurant workers across New York City and throughout the industry at large. This strategy of organizing campaigns targeting high-profile fine-dining companies is all about setting standards across the industry.

This is just another affirmation that ROC's model truly works — and we're working with them to make sure similar victories will emerge from future campaigns!

Learn more about ROC-United's strategy from cofounder Saru Jayaraman:

Vote for UUSC partner Malya Villard-Appolon as CNN 2012 Hero of the Year now — and often!

As you may have heard, there is some exciting news brewing for KOFAVIV (Commission of Women Victims for Victims), a UUSC Haiti partner that works tirelessly to support survivors of rape in Haiti and to stem the tide of future violence. Malya Villard-Appolon, KOFAVIV cofounder, has been selected as one of 10 finalists for the 2012 CNN Hero of the Year, an enormous honor and powerful opportunity to bring the world's attention to the vital work that KOFAVIV is doing.

Two years ago, a few months after the earthquake, I remember meeting with Malya in the courtyard of a lawyer's office. It was there that she and her children had fled to for refuge after being threatened by men with guns in the camp for displaced people where she was living — the men were angered by her work to stop the rapes in the camps. She was soft-spoken and humble but clearly fiercely committed to continuing her powerful work regardless of the personal danger to her. Over the course of the past two years, I have seen her grow in confidence and have seen the work grow in its impact. Through partnerships with organizations like UUSC, MADRE, and Digital Democracy, KOFAVIV's work has been vital in lowering the number of rapes in the camps and neighborhoods where they work.

If Malya wins the top honor and is named CNN's 2012 Hero of the Year, she will receive $250,000 to further KOFAVIV's work. There is something very concrete — and very easy — that we can all do to make that happen. From now through November 28, you can cast 10 votes per day for Malya on the CNN website. You can also spread the word through your networks and encourage your friends to vote, too. The winner will be announced at a live televised event in Los Angeles on December 2. It takes only a few minutes a day to make a big difference — please join us in voting for Malya and honoring her work!

Here's how you can vote:

1. Go to heroes.cnn.com.
2. Click on the photo of MALYA VILLARD-APPOLON.
3. Complete the fields.
4. Click on VOTE.

You can vote 10 times per day with your e-mail or through Facebook.

For more on KOFAVIV:

• Check out the video below from our Beyond the Mountain Haiti curriculum.
• Read about UUSC's work with KOFAVIV.
• Explore CNN's fan page for Malya Villard-Appolon.

I'm asking for your time, expertise, and moral voice.

Workers in the restaurant industry are calling for better working conditions, including basic improvements like paid sick days and a fair minimum wage for tipped workers. We believe that these demands are just and that the goal of changing the U.S. restaurant industry, while ambitious, is ultimately achievable. But we need your help between now and February.

I'm asking you to be a thought leader and an organizer, raising awareness of the need for worker justice in the restaurant industry. We need to create a groundswell of consumer pressure, calling for respect for the rights of restaurant workers. Sign up to be part of this groundswell.

Remember how Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma and Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation (made into the movie Food, Inc.) created a sea change of public interest in healthier eating?

That's what you can do for restaurant workers. UUSC works closely with an organization called the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC-United). Their codirector and cofounder Saru Jayaraman has a new book titled Behind the Kitchen Door: What Every Diner Should Know About the People Who Feed Us. Scheduled for release on February 13, 2013, this book provides an inside look into the experiences of people who prepare, cook, and serve our food.

The publication of this book provides a unique opportunity for Unitarian Universalists and other UUSC and ROC-United supporters to interject a discussion of restaurant worker conditions into the national conversation.

Book groups in UU congregations around the country are encouraged to read and discuss Behind the Kitchen Door. And there's going to be a national book tour  which may be coming to a city near you. And as part of UUSC's Justice Sunday program, there will a virtual "Get Together" with the author Saru Jayaraman on February 24, 2013. The "Get Together" will be an interview and question-and-answer period to discuss the book. All UUSC supporters and other people committed to restaurant worker justice are invited to participate.

We hope that UUSC supporters will take the lead in sharing the message of Behind the Kitchen Door within your communities. And we hope that helps Behind the Kitchen Door make it onto the New York Times bestsellers list, thereby garnering further national attention for restaurant workers and their call for better conditions.

Our long-term plan is to pass federal legislation that increases the minimum wage for tipped workers (tipped workers are often paid as little as $2.13 per hour, and that wage hasn't been raised in more than 20 years!)

But our contacts in the U.S. Congress have made it clear that if we want to see such a bill passed, we need to create a groundswell of popular support for raising the tipped minimum wage. In particular, we need to counterbalance the powerful voice of the National Restaurant Association lobby, which spends millions of dollars each year to shape federal and state legislation on issues like the tipped minimum wage and paid sick days.

So this is where we start. With a book. And with you.

If we can change the public conversation, we make a real-world impact on the lives of restaurant workers. You can play a critical role. Learn more about how you can participate.

UUSC works in more than 20 countries, doing our best to make this world a place where everyone can realize their full human rights. With such a task, we obviously can't do it alone — local partners at the grassroots level are essential in this struggle. We can't create effective change in the world without truly involving the people whose lives are being changed. In the process, we learn as much from our partners and members as they might learn from us. These ideas are at the core of UUSC's eye-to-eye partnership model. In essence, our approach is about "the power of we" — which happens to be the theme of today's Blog Action Day.

When you're working to end oppression in the world, the last thing you want to do is re-create it — that's why I think eye-to-eye partnerships are so important. One of our goals is to foster an exchange, a true meeting of equals, because we believe that we all are equal and we want to make sure that we come into partnership treating people with the dignity and respect that everyone deserves. When we start working with a partner, we don't assume to know what the best course of action on a given issue is — we ask questions, we listen, we discuss, and together we forge the best solution. We offer the expertise of our staff while recognizing and honoring the expertise of the people on the ground.

The other day, Dalia Ziada, an Egyptian human rights activist and executive director of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development, a UUSC partner, was visiting UUSC's offices in Cambridge, and I had the privilege to sit down with her for an interview. I asked her what it's like to work with UUSC. "What I most like about UUSC, first of all, is the teamwork approach. . . . this sense of communication and involvement — real involvement — from the team here at UUSC with the people working on the ground is what makes it so special and so influential as well."

Collaborating with our partners makes the work of social justice deeper and richer, and it is also the only way to make the work effective. We can't do this — make human rights an honest reality for all — without doing it with others, and most especially with the people we're hoping to serve. "Nothing about us without us," the saying goes — and we take that deeply to heart in all of our work.