It seems as though waiver advocates have been getting through to Mayor Brandon Johnson about waiter wages. “An ordinance that would abolish the sub-minimum wage in the City of Chicago was introduced today. Currently, tipped workers make $9 per hour. The ordinance would raise tipped workers’ wages to the minimum wage of $15.80 per hour over a two-year phase-in period,” according to the mayor’s July 19 press release.
A Step Forward
This is a massive step forward for waiters all over Chicago. One of the biggest problems for waiters is that tips are included within their wages, which have been calculated into their wages. However, the problem with that is many waiters’ tips are stolen from them or otherwise taken from them by their bosses. This leaves them with what they call a “sub-minimum” wage.
This subminimum wage is currently around nine dollars, while the normal minimum wage is $15.80. Making sure that all workers make at least $15.80 an hour is quite radical toward the waiter’s cause.
Disproportionately Marginalized
While it would end up being phased in over a 2-year period, getting the ball rolling on this is of the utmost importance. There are hundreds of waiters all across Chicago making subminimum wages, and it isn’t fair when they could be making the same minimum wage as everyone else. Even if someone is tipped as much as the minimum wage, the amount someone gets tipped is variable.
A minimum wage should be a fixed number that doesn’t depend on how luck. Moreover, waiters tend to disproportionately be women and people of color.
So, this is a chance to make life a little more equal for those who experience inequality on a daily basis. All in all, what is most important is that people make enough to make sure they are comfortable.
Written by Kenneth Mazerat
Sources
Mayor Johnson July 19th Press Release
Every Child Thrives: Restaurant workers are standing up for increased wages – and racial and gender equity
Chicago Sun-Times: Effort revs up to phase out ‘sub-minimum wage’ for tipped workers
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Sarah Stierch’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Nathaniel_U’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
