ROSEVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — In a dramatic move Friday, Michigan House Republicans walked out of session, demanding action on paid sick leave and the contentious minimum wage bill that has restaurant workers nervous.
Republicans say they will not vote on any bills until Democrats take up legislation stopping an impending minimum wage hike for tipped workers like bartenders and servers.
“Our restaurant workers are about to lose their jobs because of Democrat inaction in the House," House Minority Leader Matt Hall said at a press conference following the walk-out.
At National Coney Island on 12 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway in Roseville, the staff are about to celebrate 60 years of business. But instead of celebrating, they're worried.
Back in July, the Michigan Supreme Court issued sweeping changes to replace the wage that tipped workers have — like bartenders and servers — with a regular hourly wage.
Watch our report below from earlier this week when tipped workers went to the Michigan state Capitol to make their voices heard:
However, managers and owners including at National Coney Island say this would in turn cause them to raise prices on food and reduce staff.
“It would cause us to run with a lot less staff. We’ll go toward a more carryout kind of vibe," manager Kyle Zoar said.
Waitresses who depend on cash tips are not fans either, thinking if they go to minimum wage, customers will feel not compelled to tip.
“I'm a college student. I can pick up a shift, make the money that I need to make to pay for my food or my bills or anything that I need and if people just stopped tipping, we wouldn’t have that fast money," National Coney Island waitress Carli Dziordziewicz said.
In all the drama Friday after House Republicans left, Democratic House Speaker Joe Tate said the Republicans aren't willing to work and that nothing can get done if they leave.
"House Democrats are still working here into the evening to find solutions and we can't find a bipartisan solution if Republicans aren't here and if they aren’t doing work," Tate said. "We're still trying to create solutions. But it makes it that much harder when almost half of the 110 members, all Republicans, decide not to come to work to find those solutions."
The back and fourth at the state’s highest level has restaurant workers nervous that come February when the Michigan Supreme Court changes are set to be implemented, they’ll be the only ones dealing with the consequences.
“Meet in the median, in the middle," National Coney Island manager Donny Bradshaw said.
There is a required five-day waiting period when a bill moves between chambers and only three days are left in the session this year, leaving the decision and restaurant workers in limbo for now.
It is possible for the Legislature to take the issue next session before it’s implemented, but it's not certain.
