Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now • Hacker News Board

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#201

Post by voltagedivider » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:15 PM UTC

ruined wrote: post #111

voltagedivider wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any chance they're trying to end the practice of tipping for the betterment of workers in the long run?

next they'll try to end the practice of wage labor by not paying their employees if that's the goal it needs to be a systemic solution, which generally means or legislation, company policy, or worker organizing. otherwise you're just going around hurting people. if you don't want to tip service workers, stay home, and don't order delivery. remember, that scene in Reservoir Dogs was intended to demonstrate that Mr Pin…

[dead]

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#202

Post by door103 » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:16 PM UTC

bluGill wrote: post #168

davemp wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The thinking was that it created too much of a relationship of subservience rather than equals participating in commerce, to be compatible with American ideals of freedom. That's my feelings about tipping. The custom feels very classist. Depending on tips creates a social divide between service industries and their customers. I used to work for tips when I was growing up (~2010). My rate was about $15-20/hr which y…

You have just talked me into tips. I want a server who will entertain me while I'm waiting. There is a line of course, don't do too much, but a bit of make me feel better about it is worth paying extra for. Service with a good bubbly personality is well worth the extra cost in my opinion.

Personally I prefer to be around people who are friendly because they genuinely want to be rather than because I am paying them to fake it.

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#203

Post by xhevahir » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:17 PM UTC

gbrindisi wrote: post #8

I am always baffled when I read about the tip culture in the states. I find it so belittling for workers. It seems to incentivize a mentality of "the customer is always right", with workers putting an extra effort to always smile and be nice in the hope for a fair tip.

Supposedly its origin is tied in with race relations. I only vaguely remember the historical explanation and I'm too tired to look into it right now. Anyway, I agree that the phenomenon is pretty degrading.

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#204

Post by arprocter » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:18 PM UTC

vincentmarle wrote: post #144

gbrindisi wrote: post #8

I am always baffled when I read about the tip culture in the states. I find it so belittling for workers. It seems to incentivize a mentality of "the customer is always right", with workers putting an extra effort to always smile and be nice in the hope for a fair tip.

Yet somehow the service in the US is 10x better than in Europe.

As a redcoat in enemy territory I generally agree, although the golden retriever-esque fake enthusiasm in the states can be a little skeezy, when it feels like they're forced to act like that because the wage without tips is so low

'Yes, everything is still fine' - you don't need to check every 5 minutes

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#205

Post by giraffe_lady » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:19 PM UTC

smarx007 wrote: post #195

I see that many are fixed on tips, but I found it quite shocking to read about long queues of people on the Christmas day and people quitting on the Christmas Eve. In many European cities, the streets are completely empty and almost all shops (maybe a local supermarket would open from 10:00 till 14:00 on a Christmas day after being closed for the Eve) are closed both on the Christmas Eve and the Christmas day.

That is probably because he was working at a movie theater. Seeing a movie at a theater on christmas is a bit of a tradition for a lot of people here, for some reason.

It's less extreme than in europe but in the US also most businesses will be closed or have reduced hours on those two days, and would expect much less business even if open. Movie theaters are an exception.

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#206

Post by solarmist » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:19 PM UTC

orwin wrote: post #162

ajmurmann wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this Reddit comment from a use called TheMagecite on parenting during the pandemic might get to some of it: "No. So lets take my example I have two children one has autism. What my son desperately needs is social interaction, how do you teach social interaction well without peers? He can't see other children and right now he has such limited exposure to other children he is about to start school and it is a n…

For context, which country do you live in?

Sounds like the US or Canada to me.

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#207

Post by nradov » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:19 PM UTC

gitfan86 wrote: post #7

You don't reach the top levels of government and media by having real world experiences. You get to top levels by playing the networking and politics game.

In the 1992 US presidential campaign debate, George H.W. Bush had to admit that he didn't know the price of a gallon of milk. That was a "gotcha" moment that made him look out of touch.

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17826509

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#208

Post by sjostrom7 » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:20 PM UTC

ashtonkem wrote: post #171

nepeckman wrote: post #87

It's a shame that the comments here are laser focused on the tipping parts of the article, and not the bigger picture items. The author outlines the struggles of getting service jobs filled in high CoL areas, the vicious cycle of turnover in these jobs, and all the commenters here want to discuss is the 2 paragraphs on tipping.

Personally it took me a second to get past "Death threats drove him from town and to Austin". That is quite the fact to cover in a single sentence.

There's a link further down but tldr, he ran a department that struggled to disperse unemployment benefits to the people of New Mexico during 2021. Hard to say if anyone else would have done better in his place, but his address and family info were getting shared online and a car got blown up at his place of work.

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#209

Post by anotherman554 » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:22 PM UTC

ngngngng wrote: post #95

zivkovicp wrote: post #75

Sounds to me like a lot of "customers" in the US are just a55holes and anyone who has to work with them regularly is right to just stop. I'm sure a little common courtesy in everyday interactions is all it takes to make workplaces enjoyable; and a wage that allows you to stay warm and fed while working a _single job_ will get most people back to work. It's really a very low bar to set, I'm surprised this is even such…

When I worked at a call center doing technical support, customers would often get frustrated. But as soon as they crossed the line into unprofessional, I informed them I was hanging up the call, and did. Why would anyone in a service based industry put up with customers throwing tantrums? The manager should immediately march out, give them a refund, and tell them to leave.

It's much easier to hang up on someone than ask someone to leave in person. The problem customer may refuse to leave and escalate their tantrum.

Re: Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

#210

Post by tomohawk » Fri, Jan 21, 2022, 4:22 PM UTC

Imagine how much more reasonable politicians and appointees would be if they had to serve 1 year in a non government, non ngo paying job prior to each year they served in government.

We have so many people that go from school, to being an aide to so-and-so, to being elected or appointed to serve, and they don't know how most of the people go through life.

Want to serve as a legistlator for 10 years? First work 10 years outside of the government/ngo complex.