ANNAPOLIS, MD — While waiters and waitresses usually battle over the best sections or even the best shifts, today they're battling over a bill to end the tipped wage credit in Maryland.
Packing lawyer's mall outside the state house, members of One Fair Wage rallied in support of a bill to change how servers are paid.
The bill would increase the current hourly wage of $3.63 an hour plus tips to $15 an hour plus tips.
"Ending the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers and requiring a full minimum wage with tips on top to finally pass in the state of Maryland," said Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage.
One Fair Wage has been trying to get this bill passed for three years.
Today, they brought in restaurant owners in other states who pay their servers a higher hourly wage and have seen benefits.
"We've had a lot of staff stay with us and it's great cause you don't spend a lot of money training. You can really build upon the program," said Ronald Hsu, who owns 5 restaurants in Georgia.
As the committee meeting started, the line of people waiting to testify on the bill filled the hallway and went out into the senate building's rotunda.
People against the bill dressed in green shirts hoped to stop this bill from moving forward.
Saying it will change the dynamic of their restaurants and could hurt their pocket.
"Last January I lost my husband, now I take care of myself, if I lose my tips I don't know what I'd do," said Monica Jenkins, a server at Rocksalt Grille in Westminster.
"Do you know how many people come into the restaurant alone, to eat and dine alone? They're not just coming for the food they're coming for the company, the friendship the conversation," said Tanya White, a server at Silver Diner in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Delegate Adrian Boafo, the sponsor of the bill, says it didn't pass last year because the focus was on accelerating the minimum wage increase to $15 an hour.
