Quote:
Originally Posted by Omaroo
That may be Claude - but that's how it's been in the USA for decades - and it's worked, by and large. The tip system is designed to FILL the hole left by minimum wages and that's why people over there are upset by fools who come into the country refusing to pay because they don't need to at home. it's not as though workers over in the US are ultimately underpaid - it's just that their pay comes from two sources - wages and tips rather than wages alone. To add to that - if good service is given then the workers who are willing to work harder to provide that service are rewarded for it. In that light - it's a very good system.
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It's worked by and large, Chris, because the workers have allowed it to, seeing that it's part of their work culture to supplement their wages with handouts (which is basically what a tip is...."I've done well, please give me more"....almost Dickensian). The fact that governments in the US have allowed this practice to go on for decades just shows you how much they actually give a rat's about the welfare of their workers, especially those near the bottom of the wages rung. Many restaurants and food outlets take advantage of tipping, that's why the minimum wage is so low compared with places like here and elsewhere. It's nothing more than another form of exploitation..."I'll make my profits and bugger you Jack, you get the rest of your money from somewhere else".
I've worked in the hospitality industry here in Oz and even though the wages here aren't much chop themselves, I'd much prefer to work here than in the US. At least I'd know my wages were guaranteed to be paid to me at the specified rate and that the income was stable, not subject to the whims of the customers and bosses.
But, as they say, each to themselves and if the workers in the US want to live like that, then that's their problem. If they were smart, they'd make it clear to both the business owners and the government that they should be paid a half decent minimum wage, that was set in legislation and guaranteed to be paid.
What these business people and the government forget about is this, if the workers didn't work in the industry or they decided that enough was enough, these businesses would go broke. You can't have a business like hospitality if no one will work for you.