Democrats Could Play Key Role in Repealing Wage Increase for Tipped Workers

Nearly a dozen Democratic lawmakers, and possibly more, are backing an effort to overturn the repeal of the wage for tipped workers.

The repeal is included in the citizen-initiated law raising the base wage for thousands of Mainers. But doing away with the tipped wage has long been resisted by restaurant owners and their workers, who worry a higher base wage will mean lower tips and a pay cut.

Nearly 420,000 Mainers voted to support raising the minimum wage in November, a solid majority of 55 percent — the kind of victory that would seem to settle the matter. But it hasn’t, at least for servers like Christine Morrisson, who waits tables at Rolly’s Diner in Auburn.

Her base wage has gone up, but she says she’s seen a 10 percent dip in tips since Question 4 became law.

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