Scores of New York City restaurant workers took part in a nationwide “Raise the Wage” movement Wednesday, calling for increases in minimum wages — and vowing to hold elected officials accountable for their actions.
The Oct. 13 action aimed to spur support for political figures who say they encourage a wage hike. Gathering outside Capital Grille on 155 East 42nd St., organizing group One Fair Wage (OFW) says the action marks the launch of the Raise the Wage Voter Fund and Voter Bloc, which looks to form a collection of like-minded voters in order to elect candidates who publicly endorse policies that end the sub-minimum wage — which permits restaurants, bars, nightclubs and others in the hospitality industry to pay their employees salaries lower than the $15 wage, which the workers supplement with tips they receive.