mrguyorama t1_j1gdv69 wrote on December 24, 2022 at 3:19 AM

Reply to comment by monsterscallinghome in Gotta love Kennebunk Light & Power. I submitted an online report. Truck arrived in 20 minutes. Power back on within an hour by Guygan

Just like the recent minimum wage for servers vote we had in portland. The "pro" camp was a grassroots effort that spent like a few tens of thousands on campaigning, while the "anti" campaign was primarily an out of state restaurant lobbying group that spent MILLIONS on their campaign, including that "vote no on everything, enough is enough" campaign that was entirely put together by a restaurant lobbying group. Neat.

monsterscallinghome t1_j1gey1x wrote on December 24, 2022 at 3:29 AM

As a restaurant owner-operator, that drove me nuts. My staff are in the top 10% of nationwide earners as servers according to the NLRB, and they deserve more - but I already pay as much above the minimum as i can and stay open. These kinds of industry-wide changes have to be mandated, at least at first, or the people who want to do it right will be driven out of business by those willing to exploit their staffs before the culture can change enough. I grew up on WA, where there hasn't been a subminimum wage for tipped employees since the 70's, and people still tip. And tip well. Front-of-house labor is such a small percentage of overall costs on this fucking place, anyone saying it's going to break them is either lying to you or riding the edge of bankruptcy as it is, and if it's not labor it'll be the cost of chicken that drives them under. Food costs have risen during the pandemic by nearly twice what I'd be paying without the subminum wage, if I can take the one I can take the other - and I'd rather see the increases in my prices go to my staff instead of Sysco, cause they're sure AF not passing it along to the drivers, pickers, or farmers.