A coalition of Minneapolis restaurants is calling for the state to adopt a $15 an hour minimum wage, but with an exception for tipped employees, which would include most waiters and servers.
They would instead get $9.50 an hour, the current minimum wage, plus the tips. But the effort is getting a tepid reception at city hall.
“We support moving Minneapolis to a $15 an hour minimum wage,” said Anchor Fish and Chips owner Kathryn Hayes. Hayes was speaking on behalf of the Minnesota Restaurant Industry, a coalition group. “We just want to be sure that the unique pay structure of restaurant employees is recognized,” she said. “By accounting for the total taxable income of restaurant workers, we can make sure a $15 minimum wage works for all of Minneapolis.”
The effort was formally launched Tuesday and is intended to head off pressure to institute a $15 city-wide minimum. The city has been hosting a series of public “listening sessions” regarding raising the current rate. The sessions are scheduled to continue for another week.
Mayor Betsy Hodges, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, has called for the rate to be increased. She is up for re-election this year and will likely face opponents who are calling for a $15 minimum. Some city council members have endorsed a $15 rate as well, though there is apparently no consensus at city hall on what the new rate should be. Hodges has previously ruled out any exception for tipped employees to the new minimum wage.
That has put the city’s eateries in a tough position, since they argue that a $15 minimum would drastically increase their labor costs and put many out of business. They have pressed the case to city officials during the listening sessions. Several city officials said they want to strike a balance.
