Proposed bill would lower minimum wage for tipped employees

cat8mice said on February 3, 2012 at 12:11 AM

Lets be honest here. Can you servers look at the owners side for just a minute? 1. Restaurants are LUCKY if they make more than 3% that is 3 cents profit on every dollar. 2 . In this economy most (privately owned) are close to closing their doors. 3. Have your ever thought how much work and time it takes to run a restaurant.: 4. Honestly, look at your fellow employees - would you like to put up with them as their employer ? 5. Are you ever thankful that the owners took the chance financially to start a business - after all without them you wouldn't have a job. 6. As far as insurance - most can't afford it for themselves let alone the employees. 7. Some of you _servers are making more money in the restaurant than anyone. Menu prices go up you make more money. 8. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF BEING THANKFUL !!!! 9. DO YOU EVER FEEL BAD ABOUT NOT REPORTING ALL YOUR TIPS? 10. EVERYTHING IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU.

cat8mice said on February 3, 2012 at 12:01 AM

WOW, It never ceases to amaze me how hypocritical servers are. JUST ANSWER ONE QUESTION: Do any of you abused servers EVER report all your tips? It is a UGLY ? that servers keep secret. I have run restaurants for 35 years and have never know 1 server who was honest about their tips. SO..... the general public has to pay taxes on their earnings but NO SO for servers. They cheat you ! As for greedy restaurant owners without their restaurant you SERVERS would not have job. You are whiners that have no clue how hard it is to employee you. Do you ever think about the owners? No you are consumed with your tips. Are you ever aware of how hard it is for the owner to meet payroll and put up with YOU ! DId you know that the cause of over 30% of the restaurants that go out of business do so because of employee theft. Yes, servers it is stealing to eat, give away food, steal time. AND yes bartenders we are all aware of the theft that happens in the bars. It is just to easy isn't it.

shoreline said on February 2, 2012 at 10:46 PM

I can see the greedy restaurant owner's now if this passes. "Ok all you servers, busboys and cooks... we're starting a new policy that you all get a share of the tips! So now I don't have to pay ANY of you minimum wage and the tips have to be spread around to more people. Too bad for you!

Slingerss said on January 31, 2012 at 3:34 PM

This is SO OBVIOUSLY put out my Businesses who don't want to pay their workers the minimum wage. It is just another reason that the LITTLE GUY always seems to lose in the face of the greedy companies who want to pay their workers next to nothing. Last I heard, tips were not consistent, and with the economy have gone DOWN considerably. I hope people see through this farce and realize it is the businesses that don't want to pay their workers a fair wage that is the main driver on this even being brought up. Time to Boycott some restaurants DUKES ESPECIALLY!

cookhere said on January 31, 2012 at 3:46 AM

I am on of the few in my industry that thinks that this is a decent idea, but that it is being executed poorly. Firstly, minimum wage is essentially an entry level position wage. A beginning server would have a hard time NOT making the 1.79 an hour ( 14.32 in an 8 hour day). As a server hones their skill they get much more than that, and therefor a better wage. Creating this small gap makes it so there isn't as much inflation. That means the people who aren't getting minimum wage increases, such as tradesmen, can continue to be the middle class. My issue is with the pay deduction itself. Instead of a deducting an industry's wages it should happen the next time minimum wage goes up. At that time the tip-based jobs should not increase in minimum wage. This way people who budget their paycheck will not feel an overnight 19.8% drop in wages.

Server4life said on January 30, 2012 at 10:45 PM

Really like to comment on this post-- "And, the fact that you choose to pop out kids without someone to support you does not make you special." Curious, dakotanative, what is that supposed to infer about minimum wage and tipped employees? Verdann said on January 25, 2012 at 9:39 PM I raised 2 adult kids & have one at home. I am a skilled server. My husband had a business and I know very well what it is to be a business owner. Economy and his health issues put him out of business and work. We carried all the right insurances and had money in the bank. I wasn't always a single mom and being a single mom is very common in all businesses. Your iggnorant comment is due to the fact that your head is up your rear end. As I said, I am a skilled server. I deal with people like you everyday and stay out of jail. I have to be an actress at my job because with your additude, I have to smile. But know in my mind I know what you are and never expect much of a tip from you in any!

Server4life said on January 30, 2012 at 10:02 PM

The only one who will benefit is the restaurant owner. I would say it's only maybe 1% of the owners out there who offer any type of medical benefits nation wide. Don't tell me that they would step up because the east coast hasn't stepped up yet and I started out in Pennsylvania at $0.99 an hour when I was 16 years old. Yes being a business owner is hard, so is life for everyone. This state will find a higher rate of welfare supplement applications if this does pass. We don't make the same and our tips are never guaranteed! Susie may make $10 while Karen makes $50 and Ken makes $90. I’ve had to go to work with my kids at times to feed them because tips where bad that week. Electric needs paid. That paycheck has kept me being a burden to the taxpayer. Lucky for me my job has medical. I pay almost $400 a month so my child can get $3000 a month in meds. I will be first at welfare if this passes!!

Server4life said on January 30, 2012 at 9:18 PM

Since tips haven't changed in fact gone down due to economy and that there are so many different cultures in the area now that don't understand the concept of tipping I think they need to leave us alone or expect us to supplement our incomes from welfare like so many have to do on the east coast!! How many professionals in the "business world" could do our job? Is it your career threatened when one comes to us drunk and un-noticed gets a drink and BOOM he's overserved? The ordeals we deal with each and every day to keep our guests happy even while some will never be happy. Yes there are wonderful people out there. I used to say 99% nice, 1% jerk. These days it's changed so much. People haven't the respect they used to. I'm 53 and have been doing this since I was 16. Now the IRS keeps adding more and more against us. I know servers who pay more in taxes than they get. Unless this state wants to add to the welfare roles, they need to let us make a living or lower their wages!!!

dukesemployee said on January 27, 2012 at 8:54 PM

I have worked for Duke's for 6 years now and I am appalled by Duke Moscrip's support on this bill! To be honest, I am unwilling to post this on my Facebook page and share this with my friends, because the management at Duke's has already threatened to fire employees who openly/publicly share their opposing opinions on it - and trust me, they already fired one person today. Whatever happened to free speech??? I think that Duke's has made a poor decision to try and cut costs - taking away money from some of their most valued employees - people that they constantly say are the heart of their business! If I had the financial flexibility, I would quit working at Duke's tomorrow.

gypsygrl said on January 27, 2012 at 10:43 AM

When I read this proposal, I get angry. I have worked in the restaurant business for over 20 years. I have worked in every position in a myriad of establishments and although I have never owned my own restaurant I can say that I am quite qualified to make a judgement about WRA trying to lower the minimum wage for tipped employees. First off this is just RIDICULOUS!!! It is just a ploy for the owners so they don't have to pay their employees. The WRA has already put through the effort to make it leagal to require FOH (servers) employees to tip out BOH (cooks). This was done so that the owners don't have to pay a living wage to their BOH employees claiming that their income is supplemented by tips. This is causing many servers to make 5% to 10% less than they usually would make. And because of this it is making servers reliant on that hourly paycheck. Now they want to take that away too? Its wrong.

britc99 said on January 27, 2012 at 9:43 AM

If I work 60 hours in 2 weeks my check is around $200.... If this minimum wage gets lowered for people that get tips.... the checks will probably be zero.... or negative. Restaurants just don't want to pay the people doing their dirty work.... Servers definitely work for their money. I thought it was called a MINIMUM wage for a reason.

Loki_ said on January 26, 2012 at 5:11 PM

tpete19: Representatives Condotta, Warnick, Shea, Taylor, Fagan, Ross, Alexander apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2497&year=2011

tpete19 said on January 26, 2012 at 2:16 PM

Who proposed this bill?

think said on January 26, 2012 at 1:30 PM

Just another 'take-away' from average working Americans. We've seen our raises/wages frozen, our health care benfits cut, healthcare premiums rise, vacation curtailed, 'journeyman' level employess replaced by lower cost newbies, etc, etc, etc. It is CLASS WARFARE...wealthy businessmen and women, and their elected Republican lacky's are waging a war against working Americans.

jenni09 said on January 26, 2012 at 12:28 PM

@eightwrong I never complained about tipping out and I tip out more because my busboys are amazing and I think they are deserving of more money. I was simply pointing it out that servers don't keep all of our tips. Employers would get away with slave labor if they could. They would justify it by tips. Bottom line service Providers should get min wage for doing our job. We get tipped by patrons for providing great service. Tipping isn't mandatory. Other jobs give out raises or Insentives for doing a great job in addition to their base pay. Ps cooks and host get paid a lot more than min wage where I work and they are subject to raises. They are hard working and deserve more than min wage.

tpete19 said on January 26, 2012 at 11:25 AM

This is ridiculous! A tip is not mandatory and it cannot be assumed that these employees will still make the normal minimum wage. I still to this day don't agree that a server should be tipped 15% at the minimum. I typically tip 20% for good service, but don't expect one from me if you provide poor service.

wawolf said on January 26, 2012 at 10:58 AM

And for the folks that are saying it's needed for small business owners to stay in business; why not give them some tax breaks for hiring folks who were previously on unemployment? It would be less people collecting UI and keep more small businesses above water.

wawolf said on January 26, 2012 at 10:56 AM

This is what the 99%ers are talking about. Stop trying to take money from the working class folks who are barely making ends meet. They already get taxed on their tips and tips are not guaranteed. Decreasing the minimum wage for these workers is absurd IMO. The government should look at cutting wasteful spending first and if tax increases are needed, they should look at removing tax loopholes for the wealthy.

sumner31 said on January 26, 2012 at 10:46 AM

Another sign that the middle class is disappearing.

kss123 said on January 26, 2012 at 9:34 AM

ankh5, what about new businesses? This could actually encourage some new small businesses to open up which would then provide more jobs since they'd be able to afford to hire. Yes, those who don't produce will go away but during harder economic times many of these industries already are in a pinch.

eightwrong said on January 26, 2012 at 9:08 AM

Why are we even talking about "minimum low wage" workers. Even if trog says 10-25 dollars "more" in tips per hour is an average (which is in "addition" to the minimum wage) than we are talking about people who make just as much as a highly skilled white collar worker. The fact that they can't live on their 19.25-29.25 dollars an hour is because it's part time work. In that case why not get two jobs? Many cooks have two jobs, just to make the same amount of money a server does in their one part time job. And if that will impact your kids, welcome to reality where many people can't afford the time to "pursue their education" or spend time with their children. Also, why are you complaining about tipping out the busboys? They are in the same boat. They're tipped workers who will drop in pay. The right people to be angry at are the people who make the software that adds a standard percentage of sales to the amount you make and calls it tipped income.

ankh5 said on January 26, 2012 at 8:45 AM

@mr_conservative Perhaps there are too many small businesses for the market to bear. I mean, how many (too many)coffee shops and restaurants do we require. By paying a decent wage, the underperforming restaurants will fall by the wayside and the decent ones will pick up the slack and be able to afford to pay their employees what they truly need. Isn't that the way of the social darwinists and capitalists that post here? Large corporations do have "piles of money laying around", but the government (taxpayers) always gives them money to stick around.

mr_conservative said on January 26, 2012 at 7:58 AM

The minimum wage law is what's called an unfunded mandate. The government requires a business to pay for something and gives them no money to do so. Small businesses don't have piles of money laying around to pay for these things.

underserf said on January 26, 2012 at 7:56 AM

Oh yeah, that minimum wage SLAUGHTERED the restaurant industry here - I gotta drive almost 3 blocks for the same 99 cent burger I bought when the minimum wage was 3.35/hour. It's not about COST it's about EFFICIENCY - if McD, BK & Wendies can all serve up 99 cent burger even as the minimum wage doubled,. what's wrong with the business model of a restaurant (or anyone else) that can't do the same?

underserf said on January 26, 2012 at 7:44 AM

Nice, the trollbot came out to play. Would that the CONservatives would actually express these views in public and en masse, like the 99% did. We haven't had a decent riot in a few years...

tugthug said on January 26, 2012 at 7:44 AM

What is the gratuity charge for? Who get's that? I thought that was to help make up for the low pay that workers get.

ankh5 said on January 26, 2012 at 7:37 AM

Why is anyone surprised by this latest nail in the coffin of low income earners? I guess it's not enough for the wage earner to see his/her effective wage not keeping up with inflation over the last decades. Now they want to take more away. Why not cut the pay of people that shuffle numbers around on computers or shuffle paper - the people that produce nothing really of value. How about raising taxes on people that make money with money, the biggest economic drag on the society.

mr_conservative said on January 26, 2012 at 6:59 AM

I'd like to see the minimum wage abolished. As a former business owner, I know that small businesses don't have piles of money laying around to pay for unskilled labor (which is the intention of the minimum wage). If you are an adult earning minimum wage, you might want to reassess your choices in life. It is for unskilled labor, entry-level jobs.

bloodsurf69 said on January 26, 2012 at 4:24 AM

I would like to have a list of places that support this, so I could use that list for the list of places that I will never go to to eat. Tips do not come out of the owners pocket. Tips are an incentive to do good service. We should outlaw lobbying and "tips" for the law makers.

Steffani_Hinf5b said on January 26, 2012 at 3:17 AM

If that is the case, tipping should be mandatory. The worker needs to at least make minimum wage and that would ensure that they are getting the state minimum. This would in turn lower the standard of service. If the server knows that they are getting a tip regardless of the service, then they don't have to be as friendly, helpful, timely or even good at what they do. Believe it or not some people actually choose this for a career not because it’s the best they can get. Their wage should not be lowered. I have a solution for the health care crisis. Why don’t doctors get paid based on tips? If they provide good service and care for their patients, they get tipped. Otherwise, they will get $7.25 per hour. Better yet, let’s have this the standard of pay for government officials. They will get tips based on how well they service their constituents.

trogdor19 said on January 26, 2012 at 2:04 AM

@Proudamerican - You are clearly uneducated in the matter, and quite frankly have no clue how the service industry works. Just from your posts I can almost guarantee that you're the kind of guest that comes in, orders the most expensive steak on the menu, has a demeaning attitude towards your server despite their fantastic service (because you ordered something expensive), then leaves a "great tip" of around 10% (probably 5 dollars on a 50 dollar tab), and leaves the restaurant thinking it was a great night. You're lucky servers are actually good people and don't spit a fat loogie in your baked potato before they melt the butter on top of it. ---- I agree with a media coworker of mine, EVERY American should be required to do some kind of service industry, whether it be the military or waiting tables.

vminahan said on January 26, 2012 at 1:23 AM

@aking5viewer I like your idea about a revenue sharing plan ;) and we both know that would never happen. Also as far as breaks go, it is a hit or miss. We need to be "On" when we have customers and so sometimes a break is a four letter word that isn't received but we all know its the business we are in and we adapt. Restaurant owners do have their balance to maintain as well and of course its all about the Benjamin for all of us. The owners and the employees and the customers. Most of us work so we can live, not Live to work. Messing with the minimum wage is and will create a negative ripple affect on all of us. I posted a very accurate statement on my FB account. "Put the politicians on Minimum wage and see how fast things will change"

jenni09 said on January 26, 2012 at 1:23 AM

Intrepid 1 I think I love you. Ha ha you are so correct. The tip sharing is still an industry standard. Thank you for pointing out the less glamorous side of the service industry.

intrepid1 said on January 26, 2012 at 12:54 AM

Tips are not consistent. They depend on the time of day, the customers' attitudes, the kitchen staff's responsiveness, the quality of the cooking, and more. It's important that there be a solid base rate. Having worked as a waiter once, when the minimum wage was for waitstaff was less than $3/hour and tips were, by policy, required to be shared with the host, bar and bus staff, and with tips being a highly variable income stream, my total wages were not "livable" wages (note that the host and bar staff made substantially more per hour than either the wait staff or the bus staff, but while the waitstaff was required to split the tips, the bar staff and host staff were under no such obligation). The only reason to lower minimum wage is to reduce overhead costs for restaurants and increase profits. I tip well because servers get paid sh*t and are treated, generally, poorly by employers and customers, and are often held accountable for every f'up in the kitchen...

trogdor19 said on January 26, 2012 at 12:24 AM

If I worked for Duke's Chowder House, I'd organize a company wide boycott because our boss wasn't an advocate for us. If he's so concerned about a tip credit then the legislation should make a bill for that, not reducing people's livelihood. Plus... It doesn't really cost the restaurant anything when a server makes a tip... As far as I know. And all of you in favor have clearly never worked in a restaurant, or have never had a friend that does. Let me lay it out for you... Many computer systems in restaurants do not account for the fact that you must tip out support staff, ie: bussers, bartenders, expos, and sometimes even hosts. Yet the system makes you claim 100% of your charge tips... If you make no cash tips, you actually get TAXED more than you actually EARNED. Restaurants don't pay overtime either, and many of them don't even have full time employees. It's mostly on a part time basis. Even more... Tips are not a guaranteed wage. The 10-25 dollars is an average.

nyb2010 said on January 25, 2012 at 11:50 PM

I moved here from the Midwest & was a server there. I was shocked when I moved to Washington and saw how much servers got paid hourly on top of tips! I think I made about $2/hr as a server. I can definitely see both sides here. The liberal in me says that it is important that we aren't hurting people even more that have already been hurt by the bad economy. There are children who will be effected by this, could lead to evictions, and that just plain sucks. The business person in me says that the law currently does not make sense, as the owner of Duke's says, WA state is currently subsidizing the servers. Minimum wage is intended to make sure employees are protected, but I don't believe it's intent is being correctly applied currently in this case. I think the King5 video definitely didn't people opposed to this bill any favors. Mr. Stoner Dude joking like he's ballin' as the waiter and saying "uhhhhh... I like my income," looked pretty lame for servers.

bill_a said on January 25, 2012 at 11:48 PM

bazwest: If a 37-cent (4.0%) increase in the minimum wage is bad for jobs, think of the damage CEO pay must be doing -- especially since median pay for top executives at 200 big companies last year was $10.8 million, a 23 percent gain from 2009: nytimes.com/2011/07/03/business/03pay.html. Median CEO pay jumped even more in 2010 (27%) while workers in private industry saw their compensation grow just 2.1%: usatoday.com/money/companies/management/story/CEO-pay-2010/45634384/1 (And that doesn't even count their bonuses!) But strangely, you don't see the Republicans who sponsor these bills rushing to limit CEO pay, do you? Maybe they should. Because for $1 million, you can hire about 45 workers at the federal minimum wage for a year. I guess it's really true what they say about CEO pay: Not bad work - if you can get it.

jacat5 said on January 25, 2012 at 11:47 PM

Considering most servers are single mothers and students, it is ridiculous to take money away from people who without their wages and tips will need welfare and financial aid! You have people willing to do everything they can to survive and they want to force them to have to sit home and collect from the state. Restaurant owners don't want to pay their employees that is who came up with tips! I don't understand how you can pick and choose who get's MINIMUM wage and who doesn't. I also don't think tips should be taxed, it is a gift from a customer, it is not required. I believe you are allowed to gift a certain amount of money without paying taxes aren't you? Restaurant owner should be required to pay their employees like everyone else.

bazwest said on January 25, 2012 at 11:07 PM

Washington's "highest in the nation" minimum wage is in danger of killing many mom and pop shops and small independent restaurants around our state. This may be a good solution to keeping some of those jobs around. Customers are typically generous when servers are good at what they do.

Brent_Fortne976 said on January 25, 2012 at 11:01 PM

For all you namesayers out their, how would you like it if the government decided to cut your pay 2 dollars, 5 dollars, 10 dollars an hour. Different story now, Isn't It. Yah! That's what i thought. I understand about not wanting to tip for crummy service, but not to tip at all for good service, c'mon. May i suggest you stay home cook your own meal and clean up after yourself. BON APPETITE

kvanwaveren said on January 25, 2012 at 10:40 PM

"And, the fact that you choose to pop out kids without someone to support you does not make you special." Curious, dakotanative, what is that supposed to infer about minimum wage and tipped employees?

Verdann said on January 25, 2012 at 10:39 PM

Tell you what. Add a section to this that also states that they are required to give us a 40 hour work week and I'll go down to $7.25 an hour, cause it'll mean that my paychecks will be about the same and then I'll still be able to pay my bills and be able to save for the occasional luxury, like an anniversary dinner with my wife.

jenni09 said on January 25, 2012 at 10:33 PM

I'm not complaining about what I do proud American I was just trying to explain how it really is. There will be lazy people in every job. I am good at what I do and work hard for a living. I shouldn't get a pay cut because business owners want to get cheap labor

willyboy said on January 25, 2012 at 10:16 PM

They deserve every penny they make for putting up with all the B-S that goes with these jobs !

Loki_ said on January 25, 2012 at 10:16 PM

Also, tipped workers don't just include servers. Anyone working at a salon, parking valets, luggage attendants, maids, etc. We ought to be proud of our high minimum wage here. eightwrong, yes it is regarding the minimum wage base pay. The majority of tipped (assuming most people tip, which they do not) service workers do not earn more than minimum wage to start.

Sir_Real said on January 25, 2012 at 10:14 PM

Brent_Fortne976, she told me I probably needed more than she. BTW everyone, we are talking about people who are paid to stand on their feet and transport items that think they deserve a tip.. go to a Home Depot entrance and tell the people out their who are standing they will not receive a tip for a days work.. They still crowd over each other to get you to hire them.

eightwrong said on January 25, 2012 at 10:07 PM

dave, we are not talking about minimum wage earners. We are talking about tipped employees in a service industry.

Loki_ said on January 25, 2012 at 10:07 PM

apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2497&year=2011 Looks like the sponsors are Republican. Ha, go figure. :p (google Washington State Legislature and search there for 2497 if the link doesn't work )

Proudamerican said on January 25, 2012 at 10:02 PM

@jenni09 No one forched you to be a server. Don"t like having to earn ur pay get another job and stop complaining

eightwrong said on January 25, 2012 at 10:02 PM

did any of the people complaining how hard it is to live on minimum wage (which is way more in this state than the rest of the country) "miss" the article which states--servers make 10-25 dollar an hour in "tips". Which means they are making 10-25 dollars an hour more than the minimum wage. That is anywhere from 19.25-25.25 dollars an hour. The server who complained they don't realize how hard servers, bartenders and cooks work isn't talking about the cooks, because honey--the cooks are not tipped. They're working hard at barely above minimum so you can polish silverware, ignore your sections and complain how little you make. A less than two dollar cut would bring the average hourly for a barista, bartender or server down to 17.25-23.25. If it bothers you, try some customer service.

davebrownspoint said on January 25, 2012 at 9:55 PM

My gosh what a lot of poisonous invective against of all persons minimum wage earners. You are so ready to tear everyone down, it just sickens me. We are better than this, right? Snakes, go crawl back in the hole please. Go read the bible or something, FOX news isn't working for ya.

jenni09 said on January 25, 2012 at 9:53 PM

I am a server. Most people don't know that we have to tip out 3% of our sales to the other employees like the bar and bus boys. If we are stiffed we still have to pay out of our pockets. The restaurant owners should not expect their customers to supplement their employees pay. We don't always get tipped. It would be nice if everyone tipped 15-20% but they dont. Tips is an acronym for "to insure proper service" we get paid an hourly wage to give basic customer service and the huge amount of cleaning and side work. We get tips for providing a service of product knowledge, suggestions, bringing drink refilled, insuring you are enjoying the meal, friendly banter, cleaning up after you and many other things. I don't know many people that would work as hard as servers do for any less than what we make.

dakotanative said on January 25, 2012 at 9:44 PM

I think the time to change the rule was before the new minimum wage started. Not right to take away pay unless it only applies to new hires. That said, I don't know why waitresses think they are worth more than other minimum wage earners. You're not working hardware than the cook in the back, or the guy flipping burgers at mickey d's. And, the fact that you choose to pop out kids without someone to support you does not make you special.

Daytrader said on January 25, 2012 at 9:35 PM

Oh oh the leftwing liberal wing nuts of Washinton state are passing around the unisex hash pipe again.

lmariec said on January 25, 2012 at 9:29 PM

Most people who earn tips make only minimum wage and there is no guarantee their tips will amount to much, especially baristas who earn onlly a few extra dollars an hour with tips. In Europe, wait staff are paid liveable wages and tips really aren't necessary for them. In our country, wait staff make minimum wage and can barely live on that. Most wait staff only work part-time hours as well--a way for companies to save money on paying benefits, etc. Cutting their wage is not going to add more jobs, the money will only go into corporate pockets!

phaedrus said on January 25, 2012 at 9:21 PM

Typical Republican way, balance the budget on the backs of the working poor while giving more and more to the filthy rich. How bad does it have to get before people start to realize that the Republican party is the party of the wealthy and will stop at nothing to drive this country to feudal state where a few wealthy own everything and the rest of are left to grovel and fight over the crumbs they leave behind. Yeah! vote for Romney, the 20 million dollar / year politician and cut the wages of the working poor. So glad to be an American!

justjack said on January 25, 2012 at 9:18 PM

Olympia - Olympia - Olympia. Let's put you on reduced minimum wages and then give you tips for a job well done. Oops - guess you won't being getting tips any time soon !

bill_a said on January 25, 2012 at 9:12 PM

@proudamerican: If you want your server to earn minimum wage for whatever reason, don't tip them. People actually *earn* their tips, no one is making you give more money. And if you think that is such a great way to try to earn a living, why don't you ask your boss to put you on minimum wage, plus whatever money your customers give you if they think you've done a good job that day?

john98391 said on January 25, 2012 at 9:11 PM

Another ridiculous idea from our overpaid politicians, I'm assuming? People have a hard enough time surviving without making it harder. I read that someone felt a person could live on minimum wage.......where was that at? I know so many people that share rent, food, utilities, etc just to get by and that's all they do, is get by. I didn't read all the posts, but had to voice my opinion.

Proudamerican said on January 25, 2012 at 9:04 PM

Where can i sign up for the great bill. Most servers do not deserve 9.00 let alone 7.25 but it"s a start i guess. If you a good server you would support this bill because it will not affect those that truely love there job and give great service as you will be awarded by the custmor for great service. Those complaining on here are those servers we all hate when we go out to eat and has our dinner ruined by the crappy service.

eoionline said on January 25, 2012 at 8:49 PM

This is just one of three bills, each aimed at undercutting Washington state’s best-in-the-nation minimum wage in some way. They are sponsored (variously) by Representatives Condotta, Warnick, Shea, Taylor, Fagan, Short, Ross, Alexander, and Angel. The first (House Bill 2496) would use a more obscure measure of inflation to reduce cost-of-living adjustments. The second (HB 2497) would penalize employees who earn tips by lowering their minimum wage. And the third (HB 2498) would outright prohibit a cost-of-living adjustment to the minimum wage when people need it most – when the economy takes a downturn. Washington state’s long experience makes it clear that a strong minimum wage law protects paychecks and boosts our local economies. And recent polling found that two-thirds of Americans – a bipartisan majority – actually support raising the minimum wage to $10 and then indexing it to inflation to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Brent_Fortne976 said on January 25, 2012 at 8:47 PM

Sir Real, I bet you were the guy that the waitress rushed out of the restaurant to give you the penny that you had left on the table.

Lisa_Marie_Vf62 said on January 25, 2012 at 8:41 PM

How unfair! This is completely cutting a working person's wage!

scubagirl1 said on January 25, 2012 at 8:30 PM

I 100% agree with vminahan! I was a full time preschool teacher and that went down, so I had to take a job at subway. Never in my life did I ever think I'd get a job in food. I make 9.04 an hour, and I don't know if you do this, but rarely people tip at a subway, or any other food business that doesn't have servers. So on average we get MAYBE $10 every two weeks in tips. That doesn't seem fair to lower my paycheck because we barely earn tips...And who cares if we get tips or not. CLEARLY we are EARNING them if people feel its right to tip. That doesn't give anyone the right to lower anyone's pay because minimum wage is higher than all the states.

jazzvamp1 said on January 25, 2012 at 8:30 PM

Totally inappropriate intentions. I am sad that, I am loosing faith in what I have been taught. Should We ....('The People') be acting as greedily as the business leaders & corporations are? Did my Teachers, teach me the wrong way?

babylou525168140 said on January 25, 2012 at 8:26 PM

Please tell us who is sponsoring and submitting this? This is so rediculous. Thank you.

Julie_Smiley374 said on January 25, 2012 at 8:13 PM

Waitresses are already taxed on the amount of tips the (supposedly) make, I believe it's a percentage of each guest check. So you have a table that leaves no tip, the waitress is already stuck paying taxes on the money they didn't recieve. These people do not make large amounts of money, and most have to pay for their own insurances, or if they lack that, the total cost of any medical care they require. They usually don't have paid sick days off, or paid vacations......Most are in the lower income brackets of our economy. And now you propose making it tougher on them?

cmeeverett said on January 25, 2012 at 8:12 PM

if it discourages businesses from locating to Washington State, then don't come

davebrownspoint said on January 25, 2012 at 8:06 PM

@vminahan you read it wrong, it was another writer named TrickyRich who you are complaining about--and rightfully so. This mega dumb idea is sure to help the economy--pay people less, good idea. So they'd have even less to spend at the next guy's business. This is how we spiral down from middle class to a third world situation....it's morally bankrupt.

plungginalong said on January 25, 2012 at 8:04 PM

No one can expect to just get Tipped good for there wages. This would cause in a Restaurant with the worker all out war because some workers get the best sections to wait on..And of course all Restaurant owners would love this Bill if passed.

bill_a said on January 25, 2012 at 7:57 PM

Something's fishy at Duke's Chowder House - the owner Duke Moscrip has 6 restaurants, and he claims he's not against the minimum wage in this story, but he still wants to lower it? That doesn't add up. After all, what does he care if his employees earn tips, it doesn't come out of his pocket. He should be happy his servers are earning good tips - it means the service and food are good, and he's got happy customers who will come back again.

aking5viewer said on January 25, 2012 at 7:33 PM

@vminahan: those that criticize the tips are either cheap business owners or those that have never worked or known anyone in the service business. I imagine most of those people tend to grow up w/ silver spoons in their mouths and trust funds to pay for their college degrees. I recommend servers to give minimal service to those that dont tip well or at all for crummy regulars. If wages are so "high", how about a revenue sharing plan for employees to make it fair like those that get paid on commission? Oh that's right, that money would come out the employer's pocket not the tips. It's all about the benjamins...

vminahan said on January 25, 2012 at 7:18 PM

I am a waitress because it is the only job I could get after losing my job, getting divorced and losing my house. Mr Jack wong who states below that this is long overdue obviously has no money issues and probably has a pretty cushy life. I never realized how hard waiters , waitresses, Bartenders, and cooks work. When you state "why work harder when we make more than any place else" is absurd. The cost of living here is higher, we pay for medical services out of our own pockets, we don't get paid sick time. Every hour we work and every tip we make goes to every single bill we have. For the most part there is no room to breathe when you get your pay check, especially for single parents out their. Guess what, most of the woman I work with are single moms making it the best they can. We form relationships with our customers and love the job we do. Not everyone has the capacity, compassion, and stamina do serve people who are not always pleasant to serve, but yet we still do it with a smile

Andrea98225 said on January 25, 2012 at 7:07 PM

And don't leave the financial security of service workers in the hands of those of you restaurant-goers who think they're doing their waitress a favor by tipping her an extra dollar or two

aking5viewer said on January 25, 2012 at 7:06 PM

Does Mr Duke ensure all of his employees are getting proper breaks, which I doubt he does? Servers, cooks, and baristas don't make that much money compared to the living costs in the Sea-Tac area. If this was the Midwest, then yeah, sure. Of course cheapskate business owners want to pay less and work their employees like slaves, its the magic of capitalism, right?

Andrea98225 said on January 25, 2012 at 7:03 PM

Absolutely outraged that a great state such as Washington would chose to take this route. In 2010 I worked for a restaurant in Georgia where the server wage is $2.13/hour. Some days tips were great, but other days like a tuesday lunch shift, I would walk home with $20 cash in my pocket. I would like to think a day out of my life holds more value than that. Just like Sir_Real has said, many people just do not tip or do not know how to tip, which is pathetic, and a person cannot survive solely on a wage of $2.13 an hour. Come on Washington, we have a great minimum wage, don't cave in like some other states and sacrifice or diminish the worth of your workers in the service industry. I would love to see the proponents of this bill work in the service industry for under minimum wage, please!

dddsandberg said on January 25, 2012 at 7:01 PM

This proposal is absolutely outrageous. I would like to see the politicians live on $9.00 let alone $7.25. It also assumes all servers make the same amount of tips. Tips are definitely less now than they were a few years ago before the economy took a dive. Tips also are very dependent upon where the server works. The higher class the establishment,the more expensive the neighborhood, the higher the tips generally speaking. Many other servers make very low tips considering how hard they work. Some barissta's are not allowed to make tips due to the stores they are located in. Of course the companies want the minimum wage lowered, as it provides more profits for them. The idea large corporations would hire more people if wages were lower hasn't shown itself to be true in any sense of the word in this country.Rather the Isn't it about time, our state government found another way to make up for its huge deficits than taking away the meager earnings of the hard working citizen

Sir_Real said on January 25, 2012 at 6:44 PM

I've never liked tipping. The meal has a price and materials & labor should be built into it from the get go.

trickyrich said on January 25, 2012 at 6:42 PM

This is long overdue. Most states only pay servers around two dollars and the rest is supplemented by tips. Some of the best service I have ever had is in those "low paying" states, and that is because servers realize that they need the tips to make up the difference. Some of the worst service I have ever had is right here in Washington State. Why work harder when you are already making way more than you would anywhere else.

jackwong said on January 25, 2012 at 6:20 PM

Let me guess... a bill written by a Republican? This is just another assault on working people in the name of big business.