On 12/12/2013 6:13 AM, Ophelia wrote:
>
>
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 12/11/2013 3:57 PM, sf wrote:
>>> On Wed, 11 Dec 2013 13:25:08 -0500, jmcquown >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Now I'm wondering if the requests for the employee holiday gift fund
>>>> could have been applied towards the dining minimum. I found it rather
>>>> odd they were requesting money to give the island employees holiday
>>>> bonuses. Final talley, they'd collected over $75,000 so they could
>>>> split it and cut bonus checks for the landscapers (not that they take
>>>> care of our yards), security guards, the folks who work in accounting,
>>>> etc. Allegedly divided equally.
>>>>
>>>> Were these out-of-pocket donations? Or could that have been deducted
>>>> from the dining minimum, too? I sent an email asking about it. I'm
>>>> waiting to hear back.
>>>
>>> They're sounding like Walmart and them asking customers to contribute
>>> to Thanksgiving baskets for needy employees! Why don't they pay their
>>> employees enough to tide them through the year, so you can tip those
>>> you may wish to tip on your own?
>>>
>> That was kind of my thinking about it, sf. I was told it was strictly
>> out of pocket donations. But really, why do I need to help them pay
>> their employees? The whole operation makes enough money to pay these
>> people well. If some individuals did something helpful I'd be happy
>> to tip them - separately.
>
> It is a disgrace if they are saying their employees are so needy they
> are asking for donations!!! Surely they can't mean that they don't pay
> enough so want you to make up the difference???? If so I simply can't
> believe the cheek!
>
That's how it sounds to me, Ophelia. They instituted a 20% service
charge on all meals a couple of years ago, so that's an automatic "tip"
for the servers, bartenders and kitchen staff. Chances are the servers
are only earning the federal minumum ($2.13/hr) but the cooks and other
kitchen staff make more.

In fact, the last time I was in there to pick up my fish & chips (and
got no chips, bloody fools!), the guy who gave me the free glass of wine
said he'd been working there since the Club opened. That would mean
he's been there since the 1980s. No doubt he could have moved on if he
wanted to.

I can't think of a single reason why anyone would need to be ponying up
money for them to give employee bonuses.

Jill