Restaurant owners in Minneapolis want a say before City Council creates a Labor Standards Board

A proposed agency to oversee the hospitality industry in Minneapolis is getting some blow-back.

More than two dozen restaurant owners sent a message to the Minneapolis City Council that their industry wants a say before a Labor Standards Board is created.

Jared Brewington’s family has operated a restaurant in Minneapolis for 85 years.

"As an owner and operator, I have strong concerns about the proposed Labor Standards Board," says Brewington. "Our businesses already carry a heavy basket of responsibilities and costs. Adding another layer of bureaucracy or burden could put our futures at risk."

Angie Whitcomb of Hospitality Minnesota says it seems members of Minneapolis' City Council don’t realize the razor-thin margin restautants operate on, and that they are already heavily-regulated.

The restaurant owners say they're deeply concerned this is coming at a time when everyone should work together during the post-pandemic recovery.

"It makes no sense to me as a small business owner," says Pedro Wolcott who owns Cuacaya Bistreaux in the North Loop. "I struggled to understand the purpose of the Labor Standards Board. Additional regulation pushed by the board would only make it harder to operate."