Quote:
Originally Posted by renormalised
I shouldn't see why the customer be made to help pay for workers wages just because the scumbag employers won't pay the minimum wages to them, but would rather pocket the profits and expect you to "feel grateful" about eating in the establishment and fork over more money.
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The wage structure is based on an agreed structure between "bosses" and "workers" like an award in essence - but is unfortunately still called a "tip". It is not a case of the customer "helping to pay" the worker. Get that out of your head! There is no subterfuge here on behalf of the owners. It's a known structure that all agree to work with.
When you go into business in the States - like running a restaurant for instance - you know and understand that workers, in general, are partly paid in the form of a tip - leaving you (the owner) to call the rest of their pay a "salary" or "wage". They (the workers) are never getting any less than if they were paid in a single-tier manner like we are here. It's just the way it is done - and it is not "less right" that our system is here. The worker is NOT at a disadvantage because of it, which is what you are still, undyingly, trying to maintain. Employers are not scumbags - they all (repeat: ALL) satisfy the workers pay in the same manner - not just some of them. It's a system - not a cover-up. Paying the tip is MANDATORY on behalf of the customer - not optional. Therefore - how could the owner splitting this component off from the bill be seen as anything other than kosher?
If you look for employment in this sector in the States - you also understand that part of your wages are coming in the form of "tips" - but not to worry as they are guaranteed and non-negotiable. You expect the $20 per hour you agreed to work for to be split between what we call "wage" and "tips". You still get your $20 per hour!! You are not relying on anyone's compassion or good will to earn your full $20 - especially the owners.
It isn't the old days - where the tipping system was originally introduced to offset poor pay and working conditions. This ISN'T the case any more - it's only carried on in name and form. The wages a worker gets are all guaranteed!!! If you are one of the "scumbag" employers you keep referring to - you'd better watch out of you fiddle the books and rip off your employees - the Internal Revenue Service will drag you through hell for it. I think that I've mentioned this already.
Because we aren't used to this system here in Australia - I think that most of you are confused, still, by the term "tip". It isn't, in the USA, just what you leave on the table if you think your service was provided excellently, it is a standard part of the bill. They should probably change that pay component's name to "Service Charge" - which would alleviate the confusion. This whole Service Charge goes directly to the worker.