Michigan House GOP protests Dems with no-show over tip wages, family leave issues in lame duck
LANSING (FOX 2) - In a rare move, House Republicans are boycotting Friday's legislative session, trying to force the Democrats to vote on the tip wage issue.
It comes as the Democrats attempt to push through a flurry of bills in lame duck sessions before losing control of the House in the new year.
The tip wage issue is the gradual elimination of the tip credit and increase to $15 an hour for tipped employees, which had led to fierce criticism by the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Today Republicans were outside the House chambers staging a news conference asserting that they were trying to pressure Democrat House speaker Joe Tate.
They want him to take up legislation to save tip wages for some employees, and also deal with the minimum wage and family leave issue.
The only problem is the president of the UAW and other unions have advised the Democrat speaker to block the legislation.
"Speaker Tate has not demonstrated political courage to step up and do the right things for Michigan workers," said House Speaker-Elect Matt Hall (R). "Instead, you see him focus on things that are not very important."
Skubick: "You do understand organized labor has asked him to kill this legislation?"
"I think Speaker Tate, I think he needs to realize organized labor is not on his side," Hall said. "I think that it's put-up or shut-up time."
Tate accuses the Republicans of not doing their job. In the meantime, the Michigan Democratic Party called it a "cheap political stunt that is an insult to Michigan taxpayers" and "showing the GOP is more in favor of gridlock, than solving problems."
Hall won't use the term boycott, but he argues it is time for Democrats to help these employees and stop debating other unrelated issues that could be put on hold.
"You have restaurant workers across Michigan who are about to lose their jobs, and they're taking about county commission appointments and creating new commissions and all of these things that could really wait until next year," Hall said.
Meanwhile back on the House floor the Democrats continued to vote on legislation. The voting roll call board shows 56 Democrat names in green and 54 Republican names white - with no votes thanks to the empty seats.
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Hall warns that delicate negotiations to fix the roads, could fall by the wayside if the speaker doesn't bend and allow the vote Republicans want.
"If Speaker Tate does not put up today legislation to move, earn sick leave policies, restaurant worker tip credit, and roads, they're all dead including roads, everything's dead."
And how long will those seats remain empty? Good question.
