This decision is a disappointing step backward, but the National Restaurant Association will continue to move forward in our fight to stop the city of Seattle’s discrimination against hardworking restaurant franchisees,” said Angelo Amador, Senior Vice President of Labor and Workforce Policy and Regulatory Counsel for the National Restaurant Association.
National Restaurant Association to Continue Fight Against Discrimination of Franchise-Owned Businesses
Contact: Katie Laning Niebaum (202) 973-3967, Christin Fernandez (202) 331-5939
(Washington, D.C.) Today, the National Restaurant Association issued the following statement regarding a Seattle federal judge's decision not to halt implementation of a law that discriminates against franchised businesses by forcing them to increase wages at a faster pace than non-franchised businesses:
“This decision is a disappointing step backward, but the National Restaurant Association will continue to move forward in our fight to stop the city of Seattle’s discrimination against hardworking restaurant franchisees,” said Angelo Amador, Senior Vice President of Labor and Workforce Policy and Regulatory Counsel for the National Restaurant Association.
“Not only does this decision impose the largest minimum wage increase in the history of the United States, but it does so by targeting local employers because of their affiliation with out-of-state franchisors. Seattle’s actions are the latest attempt in a larger campaign to upend and discriminate against the franchise model which is critical to American entrepreneurship.
“As the nation’s second largest private sector employer, the restaurant industry relies on the vision, innovation, and risk-taking of our startups and franchisees and we will continue to fight against harmful decisions that threaten our members.”
Seattle’s minimum wage law, which was passed in June, raises the city’s minimum wage to $15. The law calls for businesses to increase their minimum wage to $15 over a period of years, from five to seven years for small businesses and three to four for large businesses, with the length determined by business size and offer of health care benefits.
The National Restaurant Association supported the International Franchise Association’s suit by filing an amicus brief when the law was first challenged last year.
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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 14 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry's largest trade show (NRA Show May 16-19, 2015, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids' menu options. For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter , and YouTube.
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