Illinois lawmakers discuss minimum wage hike

Posted on January 31, 2019
State Sen Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) and Nikki Budzinski discuss their desire to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Budzinski is a senior advisor to the governor. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Senators are wasting no time in trying to fulfill one of Gov. Pritzker’s campaign promises: a $15 minimum wage.

The state minimum is now $8.25, with tipped employees making $6.95, which veteran food-service worker Shirley Holden of Chicago says leads to misconceptions.

“Those who support paying tipped workers a lower minimum wage seem to think we’re raking in tips every hour we work,” Holden told a hearing Wednesday. “And we’re not, especially on the south side of Chicago, which is where most tipped workers who look like me (a black woman) are employed. Making servers, and especially women of color, work for tips encourages sexual harassment.”

The state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, Mark Grant, called the proposal “a job killer and a business killer.” He added he’s willing to negotiate something “more reasonable.”

Wednesday’s hearing before a Senate committee was officially for information on the subject only; the specifics of what would be the final bill.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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