Statement from RAMW on the Passage of the DC Council’s “Tipped Minimum Wage Clarification Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025”

(June 3, 2025) We thank the DC Council for standing with restaurant workers and acknowledging the major consequences that the next phase of Initiative 82 implementation would have created.

We are grateful to Councilmember McDuffie for the introduction of this legislation, and to Chairman Mendelson and Councilmembers Allen, Bonds, Felder, Henderson, Pinto, and White for their support of the bill. This delay in the two dollar increase that was slated for July 1 creates a powerful opportunity for us to look carefully at the data and listen to even more of our workers.

We were encouraged to hear the members of the Council express their sincere concern for the wellbeing of our workers. We share their commitment to creating a system where workers can thrive. We also appreciate that many of the Councilmembers drew attention to the fact that DC’s economic conditions have changed drastically since Initiative 82 was on the ballot in 2022.

It’s our shared responsibility to consider the world as it is rather than as it was.  

As our conversation continues, we urge the Council to consider Congress’ bipartisan push to eliminate tax on tips, which offers us an unprecedented double-bottom line—but only if Initiative 82 is repealed. The legislation would open a new path to prosperity for workers and significantly reduce the burden on restaurant owners.

More jobs, more wealth for workers, more local restaurants—these are opportunities that we simply can’t afford to pass up.