Is Lisa Vanderpump At Risk Of Losing Her SURvers?!

Lisa Vanderpump is causing controversy with her latest comments. She spoke out against the minimum wage increase in West Hollywood. She could be at risk of losing some of her SURvers if she’s not careful. The Bravo star took to social media to urge West Hollywood to reconsider its decision to raise the local minimum wage.

However, not everyone agrees with her. Even Pump Rules fans are coming for the restauranteur. Vanderpump’s latest comments leave a bad taste in people’s mouths. Some of her restaurants were already closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s already a staff shortage in the hospitality industry, but it could get even smaller if the reality star is to blame.

West Hollywood votes on high minimum wage

Earlier this month, West Hollywood’s city council voted to increase the minimum wage to $17.64 per hour, which would be the highest in the country. Lisa Vanderpump doesn’t agree with the idea. She thinks the city should reconsider its decision amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, Bravo fans think she has enough money to pay her staff what they’re rightfully owed.

The ordinance is set to take place on Wednesday, November 10. If the city votes “yes,” it would take effect in January 2022 for hotel employees and July 2022 for all other workers, per CNN Business. It would become a history-making moment. It would be higher than California’s previous minimum wage increase of $14 per hour.

West Hollywood’s current minimum wage ranges between $13 and $14 per hour, depending on how many employees the business has. Lisa Vanderpump doesn’t agree with the new increase. She thinks it could impact local businesses, especially those in the food industry. Vanderpump claims that it’s more of an economic issue with the rising costs.

However, there is increasing pressure on companies to raise their wages. The industry has had a hard time finding workers. West Hollywood explained that increasing the minimum wage would help “keep workers and their families out of poverty” and “enable workers to meet basic needs and avoid economic hardship.”

Lisa Vanderpump opposes the idea

The Vanderpump Rules star is speaking out against the minimum wage increase. She shared her arguments with the media. On Wednesday, November 3, Lisa Vanderpump spoke out against the wage debate during a Zoom meeting with the city council.

“I just implore you to really give this a lot of thought, because I do believe if we raise the minimum wage now, it’s going to be counterproductive,” Lisa Vanderpump said.

The Bravo star owns three restaurants — Pump, SUR, and TomTom. All three venues are located in West Hollywood. Vanderpump received backlash from fans for not supporting the wage increase. They agree that she can afford to pay her workers what they’re worth.

Vanderpump explained on Twitter that she wants to city council to postpone their decision. According to her, they should wait “until restaurants get back on their feet during this deadly pandemic — so many have gone out of business, and others are faced with major debts they may not survive.”

She also claimed that some of her employees earn $500 a night and as much as $100,000 per year. Since then, the RHOBH alum has remained quiet since her controversial comments made headlines.

Vanderpump Rules Season 9 airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.