House rejects plan to cut card dealers' pay

In a surprising defeat, the New Hampshire House has rejected a bill that would have allowed charity gambling organizations to pay their dealers below minimum wage.

Rank-and-file Republicans rose up against their leadership, who asked members to pass what they called a pro-business bill, HB 494, they said would have allowed gambling charity firms to thrive.

Republican Rep. Gary Daniels of Milford, tried to rescue the measure by making it a two-year experiment that would have ended July 1, 2014, unless the Legislature extended it.

"This will enable them to grow their business and add more jobs," Daniels said. "This gives them two years to show their sincerity to pursue their goals."

The House disagreed, when a move to pass the bill failed, 169-180.

The House then agreed with the maneuver of Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt of Salem, 182-168, to table the measure, which allows it to return in an altered form later on in the 2012 session.

Democratic Rep. Jeff Goley of Manchester, said this effort was all about cutting wages of dealers who would get paid $3.26 an hour, less than half the minimum wage of $7.25.

"We don't want to lower the wages of New Hampshire workers," Goley said. "If we do it to these folks, who is next in line? Do we go to the hair salons? Do we go to the taxi drivers? Who will be next?"

Republican Rep. Will Infantine of Manchester, countered that with tips, the dealers should earn well above the minimum wage.

"I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm not from Milford; I don't get involved in them," Infantine said, referring to the River Card Room in Milford. "The business model has changed, and we should accommodate it. That's what I feel we have done here with this bill."

Republican Rep. Jack Flanagan of Brookline, was one of the 86 House GOP members to break ranks and join all 94 Democrats voting against the measure.

"This bill potentially reduces the pay of somebody potentially getting $1 a day in tips by $160 a week," Flanagan said. "This bill becomes a social experiment. Let's see if we can cut people's pay and see if businesses can make more money."

River Card Room owners Sarah and James Rafferty testified to a House committee last spring that their 23 dealers are paid the $7.25 an hour minimum, plus up to $17 an hour in tips. It's unfair all dealers get the same rate, regardless of experience or performance, they said.

Under the bill, these dealers would join a "tipped employee" wage force covered under state labor law, which also includes restaurant waitresses, hotel bellhops and pizza delivery drivers among others in the hospitality industry.