Catering Industry Service Industry Minimum Wage – Yes
Of course they should. Well, they should recieve at least the minimum wage and something ought to be done about the amount of tax taken from them. I don't think they should have to pay taxes on their tips because, although the tips may make up a large part of their income, they do not actually form part of the given wage.
I think minimum wage should be applicable to any job in any industry. There is no point in someone working just to have to pay more in tax than they are earning.
I personally do not give tips very often but I live in the UK where it is not expected or, where it is expected, is calculated and added on by the company. This is all very well but it is rather upsetting to know we are expected to pay a certain percentage for the service regardless of the quality of the service. Of course, here, they do earn minimum wage so it is not so bad and, to be fair, the places where they expect a tip appear to be largely the sort of places with really awful service.
As for the US. I don't know exactly but it appears there is a very unfair tax system and wage system. Every employer should be obliged to pay no less than the minimum wage. I have worked in the catering industry and it does involve a lot of work, long shifts, extra duties and can involve dealing with awkward customers and even putting yourself in danger.
What I am going to say next is not meant to be disrespectful so forgive me if it comes across that way, it is just meant as a comparison.
We have soldiers and their families campaigning for higher wages for themselves but they go into the job expecting that they may have to fight and might not come back but a waitress does not go into a job expecting to have to play referee while grown men fight. Often people "choose" that type of work because they have no other option, maybe because they have lost another job or need to find something to pay their rent for whatever reason. A lot of them being students or single mums who are just trying to do their best to make ends meet. It is extremely difficult to make ends meet if you're only earning half as much as you need to live on.
So, in conclusion, yes I think that service industry employees in the US (and any other country where it is possible) to have minimum wage and that tips should be just what they are meant to be - a gift, a vote of thanks and appreciation based on the quality of service rather than something to rely on to make up wages to a liveable amount.
