Albuquerque City Council considers lowering base wages for workers who get tips
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A proposal to cut wages for certain workers in Albuquerque is stirring up fierce debate in Albuquerque City Council. Some argue it would level the playing field for restaurant workers, while others say, it’s a big step backwards. Councilors are divided over whether employees who receive tips should be allowed to earn a lower base rate, cutting it by more than $4 an hour.
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“I did not agree to sponsor this bill to take pay away from workers,” said Councilor Nicole Rogers.
That is how Councilor Nicole Rogers began the discussion over an ordinance meant to update Albuquerque’s law surrounding minimum wages. Rogers was sponsoring the ordinance, but in light of changes other councilors wanted to make, she tried to withdraw it.
“I’m not at all interested in removing pay from hard-working folks in our community,” said Councilor Rogers.
City councilors were considering a bill raising the city’s minimum wage from $8.50 to $12 an hour, merely a formality since Albuquerque workers already receive $12 an hour as mandated by state law, but some councilors wanted to make another change.
“This amendment would strike the city’s minimum wage and adopt the state’s New Mexico minimum wage,” said Councilor Renee Grout.
During the meeting, Councilors Brook Bassan and Renee Grout proposed amendments, that would lower the minimum wage for people who receive tips, such as restaurant servers, from $7.20 an hour to $3. That’s currently what the state requires. Restaurant owners showed up to support the lower wages, arguing they could pay back-of-house workers more.
“So if you reduce that down back to where it should be, the same as the state, it would make it more even for us to be able to pay those hard-working dishwashers and cooks more money,” said Robert Vicks, owner, Vick’s Vittles Country Kitchen.
Councilors delayed making any decision, allowing time for workers affected by the chance to weigh in.
“For me, it was a tough lesson in once you open up an ordinance, you do open it up to things like this where folks may want to take pay away from hardworking tipped employees and I’m not willing to do that,” said Councilor Rogers.
She is asking tipped service workers to show up at the next meeting to share their perspectives. Meanwhile, the Keller Administration, who called for the original ordinance, said they do not support changes lowering service workers’ wages.
KRQE News 13 reached out to Councilors Brook Bassan and Renee Grout for comment. KRQE News 13 did not hear back from Councilor Bassan and Councilor Grout said she “is not available for comment”.
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