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SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

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Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#111
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know, I've had pretty bad service recently at places where you tip. I still top 20% out of guilt, but it might be that service in general is poorer now.

When did tipping 20% become standard in the US? I was talking to a colleague about this recently and they mentioned it but I could’ve sworn it used to be 15%

I want to say around-ish a decade ago? It definitely used to be 15% when I was growing up.

Although based on some recent news articles I found when I tried searching for a more definitive source, tip amounts have gone down in the past year or so.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#112

>The waiter hasn’t been replaced by an iPad, they’ve been replaced by you. I've noticed as well that in grocery-store lines. Where customers are being conditioned to patiently wait in long lines to be next at the checkout machines. To wave their purchases over lasers, then pack them into each and every bag they'll pay for. Be careful what you put in the bagging area! the machines' metallic voices shriek at the custom…

>>I've noticed as well that in grocery-store lines. Where customers are being conditioned to patiently wait in long lines to be next at the checkout machines Man I just realized I have not been inside of a grocery store in over 3 years... Thank god for curb side pickup

You should go in! I enjoy picking the fruits, veggies and cuts of meat instead of whatever the market grabs. (not to say curbside is bad but it was one of the few things I miss when the lockdown in 2020 happened.)

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does tipping improve their bargaining power? Seems to me like it would weaken it (“why do you need a higher base wage? You get so many tips!”)

It doesn't. The tipping is the only thing I can do in the short term to help, because those tips go to workers immediately (versus the lengthy sales cycle of labor improvements). My apologies that wasn't more clear.

If course, it only goes to workers, when it isn't stolen by the company.

https://www.engadget.com/2019-02-06-instacart-revises-pay-po...

As far as I know Instacart has stopped doing this, and many other apps were busted for this, but it's utterly, utterly shameful.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem here is that workers now want to be "paid properly" (what ever that means) and still get tips. There have been restaurants have tried non-tipping models, consumers and staff both hate it. First the highly productive staff often make less under that model (where poor performers make more), consumers hate it because the menu prices increase, and you end up with McD's level customer service where drinks are…

>There have been restaurants have tried non-tipping models, You mean like most restaurants in europe? Yes the service there is on average worse than in American restaurants because of tips, but in my opinion not by enough of a margin to cost me 20% every time. The times that you would tip at a eu restaurant, its something reasonable well below the ridiculous 20% average that American businesses have swindled into exi…

Europe has a completely different cultural model. One of the most important services the waitstaff provides (for me anyway) is ensuring my beverages are refilled. This concept does not exist really where as they pay for every refill. This also changes the business dynamics as the Restaurant wants the waitstaff to "always be selling" to increase ticket revenue.

The US has a less hard sell model and free refills. That changes alot of the dynamics

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#115
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Not only is tipping a scourge but it doesn't even try to hide what it is, you paying the worker for doing the minimum. In a lot of apps/websites you have to enter a tip before any service is rendered and you have no option to change it later if the service is bad. For some services like Uber Eats/DoorDash I've heard that orders will just sit on a shelf because the tip isn't high enough to entice someone to "c…

>For some services like Uber Eats/DoorDash I've heard that orders will just sit on a shelf because the tip isn't high enough to entice someone to "claim" that order. Tipping is mandatory if you want to get your food in any reasonable timeframe. Honestly this is great, for two reasons: 1. You're letting the market figure out the right price for delivery service at any given moment, which reduces deadweight loss. For i…

[dead]

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#116
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know, I've had pretty bad service recently at places where you tip. I still top 20% out of guilt, but it might be that service in general is poorer now.

When did tipping 20% become standard in the US? I was talking to a colleague about this recently and they mentioned it but I could’ve sworn it used to be 15%

In more cosmopolitan areas it's been normal for a while now. I remember 18 & even 20% being discussed over 10 years ago. And these days starting to see 25% pop up in conversations.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, nice areas shouldn't have restaurants? Paying waiters and busboys enough money to live in downtown SF while their counterparts in the suburbs are paid what they're getting now will distort the labor market in ways that break the whole thing.

> So, nice areas shouldn't have restaurants? I don't know how you got to that, other than by assuming that nice areas have to be expensive. The fact that SF is unable to achieve both is an indicator of broken local markets and politics, not an ironclad rule for every other locality. Edit: Another framing is that "nice" and "fancy" are different things, as much as extremely unequal markets like SF distort the distinct…

> other than by assuming that nice areas have to be expensive

This is generally the case. I can’t think of a single counter example.

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem here is that workers now want to be "paid properly" (what ever that means) and still get tips. There have been restaurants have tried non-tipping models, consumers and staff both hate it. First the highly productive staff often make less under that model (where poor performers make more), consumers hate it because the menu prices increase, and you end up with McD's level customer service where drinks are…

> The problem here is that workers now want to be "paid properly" (what ever that means) and still get tips. One sensible metric is that you should be able to support yourself while living in the area you work (or an area nearby such that it isn't a significant financial hardship or timesink to commute to work). Service jobs largely fail on that metric, effectively using government money and family support structures…

In many places low wage workers commute into HCOL areas. Being able to live in Manhattan on waiter's earnings is wishful thinking. Waiters are dime a dozen, and it's ridiculous to suggest they could possibly be making enough to live with mega high earners

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>I've noticed as well that in grocery-store lines. Where customers are being conditioned to patiently wait in long lines to be next at the checkout machines Man I just realized I have not been inside of a grocery store in over 3 years... Thank god for curb side pickup

You should go in! I enjoy picking the fruits, veggies and cuts of meat instead of whatever the market grabs. (not to say curbside is bad but it was one of the few things I miss when the lockdown in 2020 happened.)

I dont.... If I want to pick my meat I go to a real local butcher that only does meat. Which i only do for steaks or something like that.

For my everyday meals One pack of chicken is no different than the next pack of chicken...

One 5lb bag of potatoes is no different than the other 5lb bag of potatoes, 1 bag of onions is no different than the other bag of onions..,.. etc

Re: SouthwestAirlines' Meltdown Shows How Corporations Pit Consumers Against Workers

#120
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know, I've had pretty bad service recently at places where you tip. I still top 20% out of guilt, but it might be that service in general is poorer now.

When did tipping 20% become standard in the US? I was talking to a colleague about this recently and they mentioned it but I could’ve sworn it used to be 15%

It actually used to be 10%. It’s crept upwards for years
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