One Fair Wage group trying again to get referendum to end tipped wages on the ballot

LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) –  The group One Fair Wage is trying again to eliminate lower tipped wages in Michigan.

President and co-founder Saru Jayaraman says “workers and voters are beyond infuriated” with lawmakers passing new laws early this year to keep the lower wages in place. They had a ballot proposal in 2018 to raise the minimum wage and get rid of tipped wages that was adopted and amended by the state legislature.

Jayaraman says they have submitted voter referendum language to the Board of State Canvassers to repeal Public Act 1 of 2025 and will need to collect at least 223,000 signatures to get on the November 2026 ballot.