BUFFALO, N.Y. — Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposal to eliminate tip credit is not sitting well with many in the restaurant industry. 

He's asked the State Department of Labor to hold hearings and look at increasing the minimum wage for servers and eliminating the tip credit. 

The New York State Restaurant Association met with waiters and servers in Rochester and Buffalo last week to discuss the new proposal. 

If passed, New York would become one of seven states that have eliminated lower tipped minimum wages. 

"This is our career," said Marcia Dobrowolski, who has been serving for 24 years and is concerned about making ends meet. "It's not only us, its the older generation too that have been serving for 40-some years. What are they going to do? They need this job. This is it for us."

Under state law, employers are allowed to pay tipped workers less than minimum wage if they earn the full minimum wage when tips are included. However, if tips are eliminated, employers will be required to pay tipped employees the full minimum wage. 

It's a scenario that the owner of Richie's Soul Food Restaurant says will hurt both employees and smaller businesses. 

"It's going to make them not want to work hard," said Richard Wagstaff. "For someone like myself who employs them — I'm gonna have to pay them more."