Tipped Wage Battle Is Brewing, Starting With D.C. Proposal (1)

One Fair Wage said it is launching a $25 million campaign to get 25 states to abolish the subminimum tipped wage in the next four years, hoping to use a ballot initiative in Washington, D.C., to launch the effort.

Announced on Valentine’s Day—traditionally the restaurant industry’s most profitable day—the campaign will initially target Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, Michigan, California, as well as D.C., jurisdictions that are considering either legislation or ballot measures to eliminate the subminimum tipped wage.

The focus on state-level minimum wage laws comes after Democrats couldn’t secure enough votes last year to pass legislation abolishing the tip-credit ...