By Adam H. Callaghan
Seattle Eater, May 25, 2016
In a win for workers this week, McDonald's and other large chains formally withdrew their lawsuit against Seattle's $15 minimum wage law. Represented by the International Franchise Association and supported by the National Restaurant Association, major fast food chains sued the City of Seattle last year. They sought to halt the section of Seattle's minimum wage law that put them on an accelerated pace to implement the new wage, well in advance of other businesses.
The disputed law took effect April 1, 2015, and requires companies with over 500 employees to pay at least $15 per hour by January 1, 2017; large businesses that offer healthcare coverage have an extra year, while small businesses get an even longer grace period. ...
Meanwhile, there are still plenty of labor battles left to fight throughout the country, but many Seattle restaurateurs, including James Beard Award-winning chef Renee Erickson, have gotten a head starton the competition, eliminating tipping (or at least replacing voluntary tipping with mandatory service charges) and upping employee salaries ahead of schedule.