Restaurant Employees Infuriated by NJ Governor's Anti-Minimum Wage Stance

New Jersey governor Chris Christie is the latest politician to appear to have no sympathy for restaurant employees. According to the New York Daily News, Christie declared at an event this week that he was "tired of hearing about the minimum wage." Earlier this year, Christie — whose family made around $700,000 last year — vetoed a $1 increase to New Jersey's minimum wage earlier this year, even though eventually voters approved legislation that increased it from $7.25 to $8.25.

Christie is now trying to defend his comments, claiming that he was "misunderstood" while speaking at a New Jersey diner yesterday. He claims that he meant that "nobody's parents were hoping for their kids to earn minimum wage": "The President wants to focus (on minimum wage) because he's a class warrior...I don't believe that that's what our focus should be," adding that he believes the "focus should be on creating better paying jobs for everyone in our country." Restaurant workers failed to believe him, however. One waitress suggested to the NYDN that Christie "take one of our jobs for a week, like a training program" to help him gain perspective.

Earlier this week Wisconsin Attorney General candidate Brad Schimel also admitted that he was "tired" of the statewide debate over minimum wage, before controversially adding that fast food workers should get "a real job." Currently, many restaurant workers— who are typically paid minimum wage — live in poverty.