Dear Friend,

Initiative 82 is gone. Despite being passed overwhelmingly by DC voters twice, the DC Council has repealed it—and with it, the fair wage increases that thousands of tipped workers were promised. Share our explainer on Instagram.

Here’s what they did instead:

No tipped minimum wage increase this year. Tipped workers earning the minimum wage will see no raise at all in 2025.
Tip credit stays. The Council has reinstated a permanent two-tier wage system where tipped workers are locked into a lower minimum wage.
Tipped wage capped at 75%. Going forward, the tipped minimum wage will be capped at just 75% of the standard minimum wage—forever.
Pennies instead of progress. Instead of guaranteed $2 raises each year under I-82, the tipped wage will now rise by just pennies, tied to inflation (CPI). Over the past 5 years, that would’ve meant increases of only 30–40 cents a year.
A 10-year delay. Under this scheme, it’ll take an entire decade just to reach the 75% cap. Meanwhile, full parity is permanently off the table.

This is a direct attack on workers and on democracy. Voters demanded a living wage. Restaurant workers organized, campaigned, and won. And yet again, the Council sided with powerful industry lobbyists instead of the people.

DC JWJ continues to fight for good wages for all working people - and ensuring an end to the unfair tipped credit. Thank you to each and every person who joined us in the fight. We are continuing to work with the tipped workers, organizations, and allies who stood with us every step of the way in this campaign. And there is more to come, la lucha sigue.