[Vision2020] Sub-minimum wage

[Donovan Arnold]

I think waitresses probably do better than $3.35 an hour. If they didn't, they wouldn't stay doing the job, they could go work at Wal-Mart for $8-$10 an hour. And I think few people would be unable to qualify for Wal-mart work. 
   
  If you raise the mandatory wage for waitresses, food prices will rise, and then less people will afford to dine out creating less jobs in the industry. Wages, not food, is the highest cost of running most restaurants. 
   
  I do agree, people must be pretty hard up for work to work for that wage when so many other jobs that pay a greater amount are available to them. 
   
  I would concentrate more on safety and health conditions for workers, rather than mandatory wages. 
   
  Regardless, Bev, you are paying a portion of the waitresses wage, either in the cost of the food, or in the tip. The nice thing about the tips is that it will, over the course of the long run, weed out the waitresses that are rude or uncaring to their customers. How nice it would be to weed out some of those people when I visit other certain places.
   
  There are many people that make substandard wages, truck divers, cab drivers, hair-cutters, newspaper deliverers, painters, artists, actors, and even lawyers. If they are good, they will do well, if not, they will seek employment better suited for them. 
   
  Best,
   
  Donovan

Bev Bafus <bevbafus at verizon.net> wrote:
  So, I'll get on my current soapbox.

Do any of our local legislators want to attack the problem of the
sub-minimum wage?

It is a crime that some companies can get away with paying their employees
$3.35 an hour, when across the border in Washington the minimum wage is
$7.98. Washington does not allow tip-credit, or sub-minimum wage.

And yes, the sub-minimum, or tip-credited wage is only allowed if the
employee makes tips. But the ways many of these companies get around the
tip reporting is downright criminal.

Also, if I get good service in a restaurant, I'd like to reward the
employee, not feel like I am required to pay their wage.

There are some companies who broaden the definition of who is eligible for
sub-minimum, saying that ALL their employees get tips, when only a small
percentage do. Then that percentage has to share the tips with all the
employees.

I'm sure that I'll be ruffling the feathers of some folks in the restaurant
business - but after two years of watching my kids struggle on the
sub-minimum, I've about had it.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Bev


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