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March 20, 2026

Freezing Tipped Wage Hikes, Encampment Evictions, and West Town Restaurant Week

City Cast Chicago

Freezing Tipped Wage Hikes, Encampment Evictions, and West Town Restaurant Week

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Back in 2023, Chicago’s city council voted to gradually raise the subminimum wage for tipped workers every July for five years until it matched the city’s full minimum wage in 2028. Now the city council has voted to freeze the annual increases. We are joined by the Tribune’s Jake Sheridan and the Reader’s Katie Prout to discuss Mayor Johnson’s plan to veto the vote. Plus, why did the city clear another encampment in Legion Park during the coldest week of the month, and how much did outside funding impact primary results?

Good News: West Town Restaurant Week

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