By Mary Shinn
Durango Herald, Oct 29, 2016
An increase in the minimum wage could put financial pressure on many small businesses, but it may also give low-wage workers more buying power and put money back into the local economy. Voters are being asked to phase in an increase to the minimum wage from $8.31 to $12 an hour by 2020. The minimum wage for tipped workers would rise from $5.29 to $8.98 during those years. ...
Ore House co-owner Ryan Lowe sees a need for reform in the restaurant sector to help alleviate the earning disparities between service staff and kitchen staff. ...
At the Ore Horse, non-tipped staff make more than $12 an hour because the owners want to have long-term employees who can afford to live in town, he said.
Lowe noted that tipping gives customers power, but it may not translate into accountability, because it is unlikely servers would tell their managers they received a low tip.
“You are creating little mini human resources centers at every table at restaurants. Why should guests of our business be our staff’s managers?” he asked.
Managers can easily see what servers receive on average, but it is unlikely managers would review every tip.
The Ore House has considered doing away with tipping, but it is culturally ingrained and it would be uphill battle.
Instead, Lowe would like to see a model implemented across the industry that eliminates conflicting federal and state laws.
Copyright 2016 Durango Herald