The worker advocacy group One Fair Wage is demanding an increase in the minimum wage for servers to $30 per hour. According to New York State Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, the basic cost of living for a single person without children is around $27.50, making a wage of $16 or $17 insufficient. Delgado, of Latin descent, stated that these "poverty wages" disproportionately affect the Latin immigrant community, as many work in the restaurant industry. Leaders of the 'Make America Affordable Now' campaign highlighted that a $30 per hour wage is "not enough" and that servers should earn between $40 and $45 per hour to cover major expenses like housing, food, and, in many cases, send money to their families in their home countries. Meanwhile, One Fair Wage notes that hospitality workers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will be paid $30 per hour next summer during the Olympics, "indicating that New York cannot be left behind." "We need to reach $30 by the year 2030," they added. The minimum wage for servers in New York recently increased from $16.50 to $17 per hour, which activists call a "poverty wage."
