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On Monday July 14th, the Council will vote on the DC budget. Right now the budget includes repeal of Initiative 82, bringing wages for tipped workers down to $5.95. We have to stop this. Call our targeted list of Councilmembers TODAY and demand that they protect I-82! Help us reach our goal of 500 calls on Friday, July 11. |
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Call Script: "Hello, my name is [____], and I’m a DC resident [or “I work in DC”]. I'm calling to urge Councilmember [____] to protect Initiative 82 and oppose any attempt to pause, repeal, or roll it back. DC voters spoke loud and clear: we want fair wages for all workers — not a return to poverty wages and exploitation. I’m urging Councilmember [____] to: Strike the repeal of I-82 from the budget, ensure that tipped workers get a wage increase this year, and respect the will of the voters! Thank you for your time — I hope the Councilmember will do the right thing."
Phone Numbers:
**Feel free to add your own experience when talking to Council offices as well: as a voter, tipped worker, etc. |
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Background: In May, Mayor Bowser included a repeal of Initiative 82 in the budget. I-82 is the landmark legislation that raises hourly wages for tipped workers and phases out the tipped minimum wage. This repeal would completely reverse course, cutting the current hourly wage for tipped workers from $10 to $5.95 per hour and eliminating all future I-82 wage increases. In addition to irreparably harming workers, repealing I-82 would overturn the will of the DC residents who voted overwhelming to approve the legislation back in 2022. In June, the DC Council voted to pause this year's scheduled July 1st wage increase for tipped workers until October, and now Councilmembers are considering freezing all I-82 wage increases indefinitely. |
