I’ve raised concerns about the terrible idea that bringing tipping culture to Australia would be before – on behalf of a friend so there’s no need to spit in my food, tipping mafia – and primary amongst them is that it depresses wages. It turns waiters and waitresses from workers entitled to a reasonable salary for the work they do into beggars.
And here’s a recent bill in Florida proposing further lowering the already pathetic minimum wage on the grounds of tips.
I can’t believe we saw that coming.
UPDATE: In other insane US state legislating, the Arizona Senate has voted to allow doctors to with-hold information from their female patients about prenatal problems. The bill now goes to the Arizona state house.
Strangely, the politicians and pundits in favour of using tipping as a substitute for proper wages aren’t rushing to set up a similar remuneration system for themselves.
I’d love to see the free marketeers behind this sort of nonsense accept a $2.13 per hour wage and build the rest of their income around voluntary gifts from their generous clients.
Speaking of whacko laws from the US, there’s this one that’s in committee in Missouri:
Prohibits a vasectomy from being performed on a man unless it is to save his life or prevent substantial and irreversible physical impairment
Well, I suppose at least it isn’t only women having their reproductive rights trodden into the ground….
Mondo – surely the pollies are already on just such a lurk, except without the low base pay, so that seems to be win-win-lose massively for the common weal.