Pro tip from stars: Raise servers’ pay
ALBANY — A group of 16 actresses, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Jane Fonda and Natalie Portman, has sent a letter to Gov. Cuomo in support of a higher minimum wage for workers who rely on tips in New York.
The letter supporting the One Fair Wage effort notes that 70% of restaurant servers are women and that research has shown “how relying on tips creates a more permissive work environment where customers feel entitled to abuse women in exchange for ‘service.’ ”
New York allows for a subminimum wage for workers like waiters, bartenders and beauticians who earn tips.
“Women deserve to earn a fair base wage so that the tips they still collect don’t come at a personal cost,” the 16 actresses wrote.
Among the signers is Parker, whose former “Sex and the City” co-star, Cynthia Nixon, announced Monday she is launching a Democratic primary challenge against the governor.
Others include Lily Tomlin, Amy Poehler, Reese Witherspoon, Brie Larson, Debra Messing, Ashley Judd and Sarah Silverman.
The restaurant industry has argued their workers in many cases make more than the regular minimum wage when tips are factored in. They say raising the base wage could force businesses to close.
But in their letter to Cuomo, the actresses wrote that seven states have successfully raised base wages. “A subminimum wage for a predominantly female workforce is linked to high rates of sexual harassment in the restaurant industry,” the group wrote.
Cuomo previously announced his administration will study the issue. On Wednesday, his Labor Department will hold a public hearing on the issue. “We look forward to reviewing the recommendations that come out of them,” Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi said.
Of the actresses, Azzopardi said “we appreciate their input.”
The 16 said they are ready to partner with Cuomo as soon as the hearings are over. “We intend to make a lot of productive noise around this!” they wrote.