Restaurant industry braces for Question 5 decision in Mass. [Video]

In addition to selecting the next president and charting a course for the nation, voters on Tuesday may also decide to shake the foundation of the restaurant industry in Massachusetts. One of the five ballot questions facing voters statewide would change how workers in the industry are paid. Doug Bacon, owner of Hobson’s Bar and Kitchen in Allston, says Question 5 would put neighborhood bars and restaurants like his at risk. If approved, Question 5 would gradually increase the minimum hourly wage that an employer must pay to a tipped worker over five years, reaching 100% of the state minimum wage in 2029. Currently, the minimum wage in Massachusetts is $15 per hour, while the minimum for tipped employees is $6.75 per hour.If the sum of a tipped worker’s hourly wages and tips fall short of the state minimum wage, employers are required to pay the difference. That mandate would …