On this edition of Your Call, we're discussing Waging Change, a new documentary that shines a light on the challenges tipped workers face who are struggling to make ends meet. For years, they have been organizing to end the tipped worker minimum wage, which is under $5 an hour in 43 states. In some states, the tipped wage is $2.13 an hour. President Biden has promised to raise the federal minimum wage, which hasn't moved in 11 years. Congressional Democrats have reintroduced the Raise the Wage Act, which would gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2025. It would also phase out the $2.13 per hour subminimum tipped wage. What else are tipped workers calling for?
Guests:
Abby Ginzberg, Peabody award-winning filmmaker and director of Waging Change
Nataki Rhodes, lead organizer with Illinois' One Fair Wage, a national organization of over 200,000 service workers to end subminimum wages in the United States
Web Resources:
The Daily Beast, Cassie Da Costa: How the Restaurant Industry Viciously Exploits Its Workers
Economic Policy Institute: A $15 minimum wage would have significant and direct effects on the federal budget
AP, Kevin Freking: Biden, Democrats hit gas on push for $15 minimum wage