Working in restaurants is one way that POC without an expensive degree can make a good living in DC. They ALREADY make minimum wage from their employer if their weekly tips don’t amount to more.

Anonymous wrote:Look at the data in states that have one fair wage- CA, OR, WA, NY— servers make the same minimizing wage AND tips. People still tip and the rates of tipping are higher.

Women and people of color should not have to beg for tips to make ends meet. Would you want 2/3 of your take home pt to depend on asshole customers??

Which is why tipping should end

I'm a server and I'm voting "no". Again, there are other ways to help us. We need 401k and benefits other than free food.
My employer make ups the difference between tips and minimum wage. Not sure if all do, but it's not a hard thing to check - just look at your paycheck. If you want to help, help us make sure it is enforced.
Restaurant business is one of the few businesses I know where I can show up without resume and experience and be hired at the spot. If owner has to pay a lot for an employee, they also want experience, references, resume and who knows what else.
As long as the employer makes up the difference, I don't see the problem. I wish restaurants could pick and choose what to do and then servers could pick and choose where to work. Write on the menu that you pay living wages and tipping is optional.
Leave the tips alone, we need retirement. I've worked 12 hour shifts for 20 years and I only qualify for Roth IRA without a match, and it has a maximum. Every other job seem to offer 401k with a match. I'd take one without a match.
Please let the people involved vote. Please don't vote yes, because NRA votes no. If that's your reason, don't vote at all.
There are plenty of time I don't even get a tip because DC has lot of tourists. Even that is not enough to make me vote yes.

Look at the data in states that have one fair wage- CA, OR, WA, NY— servers make the same minimizing wage AND tips. People still tip and the rates of tipping are higher.

Women and people of color should not have to beg for tips to make ends meet. Would you want 2/3 of your take home pt to depend on asshole customers??

I'd vote for it. But it also means I won't be tipping and I think it should be marked on the menu that they're paid a regular wage and not a tipped wage. I will tip similar to how I do overseas- a buck or two if the service is exceptional. I believe in a fair wage.

Anonymous wrote:So here's the thing: I've heard from lots of well-compensated white servers that work at trendy places that they are against this. Why? Because they make well above the proposed $15 minimum.

But ya know whose voice hasn't been heard? The vast majority of low paid restaurant workers - often Hispanic. Theoretically, the restaurants are supposed to make up the difference between tips and the current minimum wage. But in practice, this doesn't happen due to an almost impossible enforcement burden. Plus, many restaurant employees don't want to rat on their employer for fear of retaliation. The $15 minimum solves the impossible-to- enforce mandate that is plaguing the current system.

I'm still undecided and I'm voting tomorrow.

I know many, many POC who are vehemently opposed. I don’t know where you eat and drink, but there are many non-white servers even in DC’s trendiest places. You’re just not talking to them.

So here's the thing: I've heard from lots of well-compensated white servers that work at trendy places that they are against this. Why? Because they make well above the proposed $15 minimum.

But ya know whose voice hasn't been heard? The vast majority of low paid restaurant workers - often Hispanic. Theoretically, the restaurants are supposed to make up the difference between tips and the current minimum wage. But in practice, this doesn't happen due to an almost impossible enforcement burden. Plus, many restaurant employees don't want to rat on their employer for fear of retaliation. The $15 minimum solves the impossible-to- enforce mandate that is plaguing the current system.

I'm still undecided and I'm voting tomorrow.

Anonymous wrote:I voted against this in early voting. I know many servers and they are uniformly opposed. I’m not going to tell them I know better than they do about their own jobs and own lives.

I know servers, bartenders and 1 owner and they are all opposed. The Front of house staff would rather be tipped than make the same salary they could working retail. People will stop tipping because prices are going to go up. The good servers will not work to work in DC when they could make more $$ in VA or MD. This is a well meaning but misguided effort that will cause harm to the bottom line of many restaurants.

Why wouldn’t the owners be opposed? That alone hardly makes it suspicious.

Anonymous wrote:I was going to vote no, but now I’m voting yes. The National Restaurant Association and owners are backing the no vote. That makes me highly suspicious.

This is a thorough piece that explains both sides. It’s a complicated issue.

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/06/dcs-war-over-restaurant-tips-will-soon-go-national/562541/

thank you for posting this. freaking crazy-making to pull the pieces together.

Anonymous wrote:I was going to vote no, but now I’m voting yes. The National Restaurant Association and owners are backing the no vote. That makes me highly suspicious.

This is a thorough piece that explains both sides. It’s a complicated issue.

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/06/dcs-war-over-restaurant-tips-will-soon-go-national/562541/

This link is hardly objective. It clearly favors the initiative.

I voted against this in early voting. I know many servers and they are uniformly opposed. I’m not going to tell them I know better than they do about their own jobs and own lives.

I was going to vote no, but now I’m voting yes. The National Restaurant Association and owners are backing the no vote. That makes me highly suspicious.

This is a thorough piece that explains both sides. It’s a complicated issue.

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/06/dcs-war-over-restaurant-tips-will-soon-go-national/562541/

Lots of servers are opposed.

Generally I'd go pro-labor and support minimum wage, but this is all convoluted and may end up shutting down mom and pop restaurants. I've read a fair bit on the topic but still don't know how I want to vote. Coalitions are all freaky on this one.