Ald. Bennett Lawson (44) is pictured during a City Council meeting in October 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

A Lakeview alderperson introduced an ordinance at last week’s City Council meeting to freeze in place Chicago’s phased elimination of the subminimum wage for tipped workers after restaurant and hospitality industry groups warned it had already contributed to job losses. 

Ald. Bennett Lawson’s (44) ordinance (O2025-0017549), which was referred to the Committee on Committees and Rules in an attempt by opponents to stop it, would maintain the current ratio between the city’s minimum wage and its lower tipped wage.