Voters in Arizona and Massachusetts are set to decide whether employers should be able to continue to pay tipped workers such as servers and bartenders a lower minimum wage than non-tipped workers.

Mel Nichols, a 37-year-old bartender in Phoenix, Arizona, takes home anywhere from $30 to $50 an hour with tips included. But the uncertainty of how much she’s going to make on a daily basis is a constant source of stress.

“For every good day, there’s three bad days,” said Nichols, who has been in the service industry since she was a teenager. “You have no security when it comes to knowing how much you’re going to make.”

The amount tipped workers make varies by state. Fourteen states pay the federal minimum, or just above $2 an hour for tipped workers and $7 an hour for non-tipped workers.

  • Foni@lemm.ee
    46·
    22 days ago

    It’s funny how they don’t consider raising the minimum wage for those who don’t receive tips, but rather lowering it for those who do. Make clear the type of people who propose this

    • Dainterhawk999@lemmy.world
      3·
      21 days ago

      Minimum wage is the basic necessity… Why the question arises to lower that too remains mystery in this 2020’s where inflation, rich poor division, daily lifestyle are all in a chaotic state?