Washington restaurant group now pushing for wage increase

WASHINGTON — Days after voters in another Washington city approved a substantial minimum wage increase, the Washington Restaurant Association is now pushing for a statewide minimum wage increase.

The hospitality association said a statewide hike in the minimum wage is a better approach than a checkerboard of local wage laws.

Anthony Anton, the president and CEO of the Washington Restaurant Association, said the group has so far been associated with opposing higher minimum wage campaigns in various cities.

"Instead of 'no,' how can we get to 'yes?'" Anton said.

Voters in Tacoma decided this week to raise the city's minimum wage to $12. The Seattle City Council decided to move toward a $15 minimum wage in 2014, following the city of SeaTac. The state minimum wage is $9.47.

While the Washington Restaurant Association has opposed city wage increases, it announced Thursday it would support a statewide exploration of the idea of a higher minimum wage.

KIRO 7 asked how a uniform statewide minimum wage can be achieved with different places having different costs of living.

"I think that's part of the table we have to look at, when we come and start negotiating," Anton said.
 
He said restaurant owners want to be part of the discussion. The WRA is not suggesting any dollar amount at the moment.

Pete Hanning, the owner of The Red Door in Fremont, said he raised prices on some of his menu items this year to catch up with the Seattle minimum wage law.

As of April 1^st, Seattle workers earn at least $11 an hour. For Hanning, certain things like burgers or salads may cost more, but the increases have been less than a dollar.

"The question I think we all lose sleep over is will the customer pay what I then have to charge for that burger?" Hanning said.

Hanning said he was prepared for the increases in wages in Seattle because he was involved in the conversation for how to get it done.

He said restaurant owners now need to be involved in the discussion about a statewide increase because different minimum wages in different cities can be confusing at the very least.

"If we have this popcorn effect, where it's a different wage in Bellevue, and a different wage in Seattle, and a different wage in Tacoma, and a different wage in Bellingham -- and yet you have a business that does business in all those municipalities, how do you figure that out?" he said.

The Washington Restaurant Association said it has support from local political leaders to call upon the state Legislature to take up the issue in the next session.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

KIRO