Lansing, MI — A tense and dramatic session unfolded in the Michigan House of Representatives on Friday as Republican lawmakers staged a walkout to protest the impending changes to the state’s minimum wage and paid sick leave laws. The move by the GOP aimed to force Democrats to bring bills to the floor that would prevent or delay changes to the state’s wage laws, particularly the elimination of the tipped minimum wage for restaurant workers.
The walkout, led by Minority Leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, came after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the state’s legislature had illegally amended a voter-initiated minimum wage law in 2018. The court’s ruling set a deadline of February 21, 2025, for a new minimum wage scale to take effect, raising the state’s base wage to $12.48 an hour and gradually eliminating the tipped wage, which currently stands at $3.93 an hour.
Hall, joined by his GOP colleagues wearing “SAVE MI TIPS” buttons, argued that the new wage laws would devastate the restaurant industry, where workers heavily rely on tips to make a living. At a press conference, Hall called the situation a “court-forced crisis” and criticized the Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling as an unfair mandate.
“This will destroy Michigan’s restaurant economy and hurt the very workers it’s supposed to help,” Hall said, expressing his concern that many restaurant workers did not want the tipped wage eliminated. “This is a fight for those who rely on tips to support their families.”
The walkout was a bold move to demand that Democrats bring up legislation to delay or amend the changes. However, with Republicans absent from the chamber, House Democrats took advantage of the empty floor, pushing through dozens of bills on topics ranging from child labor and online harassment to changes in public employee benefits.
Among the legislation passed was a bill that would extend more generous retirement benefits to newly hired teachers and one that would allow corrections officers to opt into the Michigan State Police retirement plan. However, a proposed “homeless bill of rights” failed to garner enough votes and was blocked.
In the midst of the walkout, House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, did not mince words in his criticism of the GOP’s actions, accusing them of dereliction of duty.
“It’s shameful that Republicans chose not to do their job,” Tate said. “Instead of working to find solutions, they’ve abandoned their responsibilities to the people of Michigan. They should be here negotiating and finding a path forward, not walking out on the floor.”
The standoff is part of a larger battle over Michigan’s labor laws, particularly in the wake of the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision to void the legislature’s amendments to a 2018 voter-initiated minimum wage law. That ruling led to the reinstatement of the original provisions, including the increase in the tipped minimum wage and the expansion of paid sick leave requirements for businesses.
State Rep. Nate Shannon, D-Sterling Heights, introduced a bill to preserve the tipped minimum wage, an effort supported by restaurant industry groups but opposed by many labor unions. While some Democrats are on board with the changes, others, like Rep. Shannon, are torn, with many restaurant workers urging the legislature to preserve the tipped wage.
“We’re trying to force something upon a group of people that don’t want it, and that’s a huge problem,” Shannon said, explaining that he was listening to workers in the industry who feared losing their income under the new wage structure.
On the other side of the aisle, some Democrats, including Rep. Dylan Wegela, D-Garden City, expressed support for the court-mandated changes, arguing that the elimination of the tipped wage was a step forward for workers’ rights. Wegela noted that seven other states already require tipped workers to receive the same minimum wage as non-tipped workers.
“We’re doing what’s right for the workers of Michigan,” Wegela said. “This is about fairness. Tipped workers deserve a living wage just like anyone else.”
As the clock ticks down on the year, the legislature is nearing the end of its lame-duck session, with little time left to reach a compromise. The final legislative session of 2024 is scheduled for next Thursday, and the Senate will convene for its final session on December 23.
The impasse on the minimum wage and sick leave laws comes amid broader discussions about road funding in Michigan. Hall had hoped to use the leverage from the labor discussions to force action on road repairs, but by late Friday night, it appeared that the window for negotiations on both issues was rapidly closing.
“It’s been a frustrating day,” Hall said. “We’ve seen no movement on the issues that matter to Michigan families, and I think we’ve reached a point where further conversations are unlikely.”
Tate, for his part, seemed to acknowledge that the opportunity for negotiations was slipping away.
“The window for a resolution is closing,” Tate said. “At this point, I’m waiting for Republicans to come to the table. But as of now, they’ve decided to walk away.”
As the legislative session winds down, both sides appear entrenched in their positions, and with time running out, it remains unclear whether any compromise on the tipped wage and paid sick leave laws will be reached before the end of the year.