Efforts to eliminate lower wages for tipped employees are delayed, but supporters are determined to continue advocating for change.

It seems that the proposed legislation to eliminate the subminimum wage for tipped workers across the state of Illinois will not be passed before lawmakers adjourn for the week. However, the coalition behind this measure, One Fair Wage, has announced that they will continue their efforts to bring the rest of the state in line with Chicago's policies.

State Senator Lakesia Collins, a Democrat from Chicago, expressed that there is still work to be done and that they will continue to push for this change in good faith. She made this statement at a press conference in Springfield, alongside other members of the coalition.

Despite the bill not being brought to a vote in either chamber before the end of the legislative session on Friday, State Representative Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez noted that it has made more progress than ever before, receiving a favorable vote in the House Labor and Commerce Committee.

Richard Rodriguez, the national policy director for One Fair Wage, shared that they are hopeful the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago will provide a boost of momentum for the legislation. He also mentioned that President Joe Biden has shown support for ending the tipped minimum wage nationally.

The elimination of the subminimum wage in Chicago last year was considered a success by Mayor Brandon Johnson and other progressive members of the City Council. However, the Illinois Restaurant Association has continued to oppose a statewide measure, with some Democrats, including Representatives Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar and Curtis Tarver, siding with them due to concerns for small businesses.

The president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, Sam Toia, maintains that this legislation is unnecessary as there is no existing problem to be solved. On the other hand, One Fair Wage reports that over 200,000 service industry workers in Illinois are currently making less than the state's minimum wage of $14 per hour for workers 18 and over, with tipped workers earning only 60% of that amount, or $8.40 per hour.

In response to opponents' suggestions to focus on enforcing existing wage laws, some workers who support this legislation shared their experiences at the press conference. They expressed that the current laws are not effectively protecting them from being underpaid and that it is not their responsibility to enforce these wage laws, but rather for the laws to work for the benefit of the workers.

Representative Hernandez, who represents Cicero, and other leaders from the Chicago suburbs have also voiced their concerns about the potential for tipped workers to be drawn away from suburban businesses where the subminimum wage is still in place. Last week, the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution urging state lawmakers to pass this legislation.

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