Ellie C wrote:

> Gee, with tip cups showing up all over could it possibly be a symptom of
> the fact that people need to make more than $7 per hour? THat's a fine
> wage if you're a high school kid but there's lots of folks who have
> these jobs as their full time work. Could you live on $7 per hour?


There's no doubt that $7/hour is not a lot of money. The question, for
me, is how the higher wage should get delivered to the worker. I'd like
the employer to take care of it. The tip system is all weird and wrong.
The tip is supposed to be optional so you'd think that if you don't
like paying the tip you don't have to. But then the worker gets
screwed. You end up with a cycle like this:


Employer pays worker too little.
Customer thinks worker should get paid more and therefore tips.
Employer realizes tips are turning job into a well paid one.
Employer figures out way to get hands into the tip jar.
Customer must tip MORE to give worker a living wage.


For example, at many coat and package check places at museums and
convention halls, the workers never see the so called tips. Management
takes them outright.


--Lia