Despite Missouri voters’ overwhelming approval of a minimum wage increase last November, which raised tipped workers’ hourly wage from a paltry $2.13 per hour to a meager $3.25, House Republicans led by Rep. Shannon Cooper (R-Clinton) are attempting to roll back their raise and eliminate the cost-of-living adjustment.
Seventy-six percent of the state’s voters thought workers deserved a raise, but Cooper says they didn’t understand what they were doing, according to the Kansas City Star. "People were unaware of the consequences when they voted for this," he said.
What they might have been unaware of, and apparently lawmakers were ignorant of, as well, was that an overtime clause for firefighters and police would inadvertently be deleted when the new law took effect in January. Firefighters and police had previously been exempted from overtime pay because they routinely work more than 40 hours per week. The additional overtime pay now in effect would exceed department budgets and compromise services.
Even though firefighter and police groups have agreed to change the legislation, giving up overtime pay, House Republicans are now refusing to change the law unless tipped employees’ wages are rolled back to $2.13.
The measure, Proposition B, was not a constitutional amendment, so the legislature can change it. To satisfy the restaurant industry, Republicans are stonewalling.
If Cooper succeeds, the proposed cut will hurt 62,000 tipped workers.
"Michael Frame, a St. Louis County Democrat on the General Laws committee, said Republicans were using firefighters and police as political pawns to appease business interests," the Kansas City Star reported.
ACORN campaigned in 2006 to raise Missouri’s minimum wage to $6.50. It is estimated the increase benefits 256,000 people. Waiters, waitresses and other tipped workers’ wages were raised from $2.13 to $3.25 with an inflation adjustment.
ACORN is fighting to keep the wage increases.