PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland City Council took the first step to change the minimum wage ordinance to exclude tipped workers Monday night.
When the council raised the minimum wage on July 6, they included a raise to tipped workers. The mayor spoke out shortly after that meeting. He said they didn’t intend to give tipped workers any kind of raise.
Tipped workers spoke out before the meeting, urging council members to keep the ordinance as is. They said they’re struggling with their current wage, even with tips, and deserve the same raise everyone else is getting. “We may make more money in the summer, but we actually make little to no money in the winter,” Heather McIntosh, tipped worker, said.
Those on the other side of the argument said it could lead to businesses closing their doors or giving employees less hours. “It’s huge. I mean you’re talking almost double the wage, so that would be tens of thousands of dollars to people who have tipped employees per year,” Greg Dugal, president, Maine Restaurants Association, said.
The council will revisit the item at the September 9 meeting.