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Meanwhile, another Ottawa business, Rainbow Foods, backed off earlier plans to reduce breaks in response to the wage hike.

“We listened to our customers and employees and have revised our decision to reduce breaks,” the business said.

Sean McKenny, president of the Ottawa and District Labour Council, said the hotline set up on Friday had, as of Sunday evening, received 25 calls in addition to about 30 emails from people complaining about action being taken by businesses in response to the minimum wage hike. In total, he said, the calls and emails referred to about 20 businesses, including “more than one” Tim Horton’s franchise. He did not specify which ones.

McKenny said the labour council would check out the complaints it received on its telephone hotline and by email before going public.

McKenny said action by businesses involves removing breaks, reducing hours and clawing back or redistributing shared tips but added that he hoped more businesses will respond to public concern and back off plans to respond to the wage hike.

“We hope cooler heads will prevail and employers will give it a chance.”

McKenny said he hoped that in coming months businesses will see that the increase means there “is more money in the community and maybe some of those employers will reap the benefits. That is our hope. We certainly hope no employer has to close their doors.”

In December, the ByWard Market restaurant Black Tomato announced it was closing its doors after 23 years. Its owner, Pete Besserer, blamed the minimum wage hike, saying “it would be a $80,000 hit for me.”

Meanwhile, Centretown restaurant Union Local 613, said last week it was raising wages for its kitchen staff to $16 an hour.

Its co-owner, Ivan Gedz, said restaurants who say paying a fair living wage can’t be done are “full of s—.”