We are just finding out about a child sex trafficking ring involving politicians and billionaires, the world’s richest man does a Nazi salute at a political rally, and the President being an adjudicated sex criminal is probably not the worst thing he has done…

Meanwhile I’m standing here in the checkout line feeling guilty about whether or not I should tip a barista

Something is wrong with our collective notion of morality, and my individual understanding (Oh well, here we are)

  • TootSweet@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Are you thinking not tipping would magically transform a “tipped” position (that was subject to the minimum tipped wage) into a non-tipped position (that was subject to the normal minimum wage)? What’s the threshold? A particular percentage of transactions refraining from tipping? Under a specific dollar amount of tips per worker? The employer having to supplement the tips to get it up to the minimum tipped wage more than a certain percentage of the time? Are you sure “yeah, but there’s a blank on the receipt labeled ‘tip’, so theoretically the workers could get tips” isn’t enough to make the minimum tipped wage apply? Does it vary by jurisdiction?

    Meanwhile, the real person behind the real counter of the real coffee shop you like probably regularly skips meals to afford rent.

    Even if what you’re suggesting could work, who’s to say they wouldn’t immediately replace it with some “gig economy” sort of alternative that would turn the workers into freelancers to whom no minimum wage applied?

    Yes, advocate for worker rights, but don’t kid yourself that not tipping your servers is somehow doing them a favor.

    • Auth@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It would actually magically transform it from a tipped position to a non tipped position. If you dont tip the server they still receive a legal min wage. If you tip the server all you’re doing is paying the employers share of that employees wage.

      • Whostosay@sh.itjust.works
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        1 day ago

        No they don’t, at least in every single tipped position I’ve ever worked, which would be at least 20 different places.

        In reality what you’re doing is just fucking over the person working that position. I agree that the rules suck, but you’re not changing them by not tipping. Get involved in a way that will actually make a difference, and if you can’t afford to tip, just consider yourself unable to afford that particular service.

        • Auth@lemmy.world
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          15 hours ago

          Yes they do receive a min wage its just lower than what they receive through tips and thats why they dont want to get rid of it. Look at any other country for what happens when you dont tip. I will never tip out of principle.

          • Whostosay@sh.itjust.works
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            15 hours ago

            I’m telling you from direct experience, that is not the case. It may happen in some, but in my experience, none.

            You are helping no one but yourself at the expense of your server when you do that. That part is not something you can argue your way out of.

            • Auth@lemmy.world
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              14 hours ago

              So you’re telling me that the waitress earning $2 hr + $3 per hour in tips will be getting paid $5 an hour and not $7.25? If thats the case, then thats wage theft and its illegal and she should find a lawyer who will sue that employer.

      • Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.net
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        2 days ago

        You assume the business isn’t committing fraud by not reporting accurate tips and/or aren’t taking advantage of the naive and vulnerable by convincing them it is in their best interest to not report accurately.

        Wage theft is the largest and most common category of theft in the US, after all.

        The only real solution is a general strike of all wage staff that prevents these businesses from operating until things change. But that would require massive unionization efforts before it would even be remotely possible.

        • Auth@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          No. I am assuming that the business is committing fraud by misleading their employee into thinking their pay will remain $2 + tips even when their tips are below the min wage or the business is just paying $2 + tips instead of the legal min wage. The only thing being discussed here is the Fair Labor Standards Act. Everything else is random shit you’re making up to muddy the water.

          A general strike would be the best outcome for the business. All they have to do is say "ok things have changed we will pay you what you’re lawfully owed.

          Legal action the business could be fined 10k or more and the employee gets all lost wages + costs.

                • Auth@lemmy.world
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                  14 hours ago

                  Do you seriously think people aren’t winning these kind of cases? FLSA cases get won all the time. Also its different because wage theft is illegal but trump can legally rape kids according to the supreme court.