
Governor Cuomo has called for a Wage Board to study the state’s sub-minimum wage for tipped workers – and with the stroke of a pen, the Cuomo administration can end this unfair and outdated policy by issuing a wage order requiring employers to directly pay tipped workers the full minimum wage, with tips in addition.
The Workers’ Center of Central New York is looking for restaurant workers who believe that sub-minimum wages should be considered a thing of the past to testify at the NYS Wage Board Hearing that will meet to receive Public Comment from workers and advocates on Friday, October 3rd, from 12-3 p.m. in Syracuse. In addition, we are looking for advocates who know how ridiculous and unfair this sub-minimum wage is, who would be willing to briefly testify! If you are a restaurant worker or advocate and can attend, please let us know ASAP by either e-mailing wccny@workerscentercny.org, or calling our office at 315-218-5708.
Did you know that restaurant workers are allowed to be paid a sub-minimum wage by restaurants in New York (in addition to 43 other states nationwide)? Right now, in the State of New York, the tipped minimum wage for servers is $5/hour ($5.65 for delivery drivers). (The Federal Minimum Wage for tipped workers is even lower, at $2.13/hour!) Have you ever wondered why the restaurant industry has been given this special dispensation by our governments? (The NYS minimum wage for most workers is presently $8.00/hour; will go up to $8.75 on 12/31/14; and $9.00/hour on 12/31/15. Find complete summary here; also for restaurant workers).
Although employers are legally required to “top off” a tipped worker’s pay when it doesn’t meet the regular minimum wage, enforcement is so lax and disorganized that what’s being called “wage theft” — employers violating minimum wage, overtime, and other wage and hour laws —has reached epidemic levels.
In addition, you can submit an online comment to the Wage Board, demanding that they raise the sub-minimum wage to what the NYS minimum wage is, by clicking here http://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/wageboard2014.shtm/ Also, please sign the Tompkins County Workers’ Center petition at http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4023/c/200/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9123 that demands that all workers receive the Minimum Wage, not sub-minimum wages!!