The restaurant industry complained it was at the tipping point Tuesday after the Cuomo administration endorsed a plan to raise the minimum wage for tipped workers from $5 to $7.50 an hour.
The increase would take effect Dec. 31 — and could go to $8.50 an hour in New York City if the city’s minimum wage is raised higher than the rest of the state’s.
“We are concerned that hours are going to get cut and positions are going to not get filled or eliminated, which will be a bad effect for the employees this is going to help in the first place,” said New York State Restaurant Association CEO Melissa Fleischut.
Acting state Labor Commissioner Mario Musolino announced the higher wages as Gov. Cuomo was appearing at a rally at the Midtown headquarters of the hotel workers union.
“When [labor leaders] sit down with the leaders of business, the leaders of business can’t say, ‘I am sorry, I am broke,’ ” Cuomo said. “They are doing great and we know they are doing great and we want them to do what is fair and we want them to do what is right by labor and that is what today is all about.”