LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Republican lawmakers in the Michigan House did not show up for session on Wednesday as they are protesting the refusal of House Speaker Joe Tate to take up the issue of tipped wages.
Speaker-elect Matt Hall of Richland will hold a news conference with other Republican lawmakers today at 10 a.m. at a Kalamazoo restaurant as they meet with restaurant workers and demand action.
Hall says an “activist decision” by the Michigan Supreme Court this summer that said Republicans violated the state constitution when they adopted and amended a ballot petition to raise the minimum wage has resulted in the eventual elimination of the lower tipped wage.
Restaurants and bars say prices will have to go up, many of them say they will struggle to stay in business, and servers and bartenders say their pay will substantially go down without tips from customers.
Minimum wage will rise twice in 2025 and eventually go to $14.97 in February 2028.
For tipped workers, their wage will be 48% of the minimum wage on February 21, 2025 and increase 10% a year until 2030, when it will be the same as minimum wage.
Hall says in a statement that Tate “has lied over and over” and has “been unable to deliver votes he promised.” He says he wants to work with Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks of Grand Rapids on the wage issue, but says Speaker Tate is the “obstacle in our way.”
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