Tipped workers in our country have a serious problem — many of them don’t get paid enough to support themselves or their families. The minimum wage for this group has been mired at the shamefully low level of $2.13 per hour for more than a decade. And they are vulnerable to unscrupulous employers who can steal their tips or allow them to be harassed by entitled customers. This year’s presidential campaign could be an opportunity for a serious debate over how to solve this problem.
Who would be sure to end up with more money in their pockets if that happened? The owners and shareholders of companies taking advantage of a new tax loophole. The real tell that Trump isn’t serious about improving the lives of tipped workers is his record of opposing the policies that we know would actually help them. There is a clear agenda for advancing the economic interests of tipped workers. The Trump administration, however, fought every element of that agenda.