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Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

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Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the culture of tipping waitresses persists in those states because these are relatively new laws and don't apply in most parts of the country.

I’m not sure California has ever had a tipped minimum wage that was lower, but not in the past 3 decades at least.

> employers in the state of California are required to pay tipped workers the state's minimum wage.

https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_tipsandgratuities.htm (which is returning NXDOMAIN right now for some reason)

The Federal DOL page says minimum wage for tipped workers in CA is currently $15.50.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#112
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's because complaints about tips are bald-faced lies. Tipped employees make much more with tips than they would otherwise, doubly so because cash tips are chronically unreported to the IRS. Income numbers are skewed across the board because the US's service industry participates in blatant tax evasion.

I think tipping is an archaic Americanism that should be replaced by living wages or family wages, as much as anyone. But, oh no, not tax irregularities from service workers .

My impression is that for whatever wage level is provided, there will still be a vocal minority (majority?) that will demand tipping as a practice. There is a strong presumption to see it as a free boost to wages rather than just substituting an upfront price for an after-service fee.

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#113
post #9

This is so ridiculous that I assume it is intentional sabotage. Isn't the whole idea behind unionization that we can get beyond tipping? https://archive.ph/v1tpo >In addition to an overall raise, representatives from the store are asking Apple for higher pay over a larger slate of holidays, including the day after Thanksgiving. The union is also seeking to expand vacation pay and available time off based on years of…

> 45 days a year for pet bereavement? If it includes goldfish, I'm in! This is a bad read of this. While 45 days is ... huge, the inclusion of pets and friends is almost certainly a result of companies who refuse to let anyone grieve when their friend dies. As someone who has lost _way too many_ people in the last 18 months and only 1 of them being immediate family, having those others considered not worth mourning a…

>As someone who has lost _way too many_ people in the last 18 months and only 1 of them being immediate family, having those others considered not worth mourning according to the company is just repulsive.

The judgement is not that the others are "not worth mourning", but rather that it's not worth having an employee who is going to spend a sufficiently substantial fraction of their overall tenure on bereavement leave, and at some point you have to tell them to either work or quit. Which is of course trivially true, eg. the goldfish case.

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#114

I am shocked a labor union is okay with tipping as a mechanism of compensation. Its antithetical to their own goals usually, let alone Apple is not going to take kind to this. Tipping is out of control as it is, at least in the US. Where does it stop I have to wonder. Lets just keep the fight about fair wages, benefits and working conditions first and foremost. This feels like its waiting for public backlash

>I am shocked a labor union is okay with tipping as a mechanism of compensation. Its antithetical to their own goals usually, let alone Apple is not going to take kind to this.

I am utterly unshocked, as most service workers seem to view tipping culture as providing a free boost to wages - and if so, why should they not fight for this via a union?

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#115
post #46

This is a great negotiation tactic by the union. Tipping would be anti-thematic to the whole Star Trek utopia vibe the Apple Store is going for. They of course know that, so asking Apple for this opens a door on deeper salary negotiations. It also makes great clickbait!

It is such a transparent move that it comes across as amateur hour negotiating in bad faith. That will not help their cause.

I didn't even know Apple was underpaying their store employees, and now this is what I'll think of when I see their stores. So in that sense, they are already successful.

Good luck to the union workers in the rest of their negotiations.

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#116
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure California has ever had a tipped minimum wage that was lower, but not in the past 3 decades at least.

> employers in the state of California are required to pay tipped workers the state's minimum wage. https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_tipsandgratuities.htm (which is returning NXDOMAIN right now for some reason) The Federal DOL page says minimum wage for tipped workers in CA is currently $15.50. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped

$15.50 is the minimum wage for everyone.

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 45 days a year for pet bereavement? If it includes goldfish, I'm in! This is a bad read of this. While 45 days is ... huge, the inclusion of pets and friends is almost certainly a result of companies who refuse to let anyone grieve when their friend dies. As someone who has lost _way too many_ people in the last 18 months and only 1 of them being immediate family, having those others considered not worth mourning a…

Sorry for your losses. On the other hand, if my employer offered 45 days of paid time off under certain conditions, I'd do my best to maximize that benefit.

Does anyone maximize the use of sick days? Family care leave? Parental leave? Who is depraved enough to abuse bereavement time?

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's an argument on either side - many companies/employers offer 6 months paid parental leave after a child is born (for both parents), but I haven't seen many people maximizing that benefit by having a child every 12 months.

lmao (honestly) at the humorous implication that buying a goldfish per year and mourning its demise for 9 weeks in cancun is comparable in effort or commitment to birthing and raising a child.

I am almost certain that pet bereavement will require the pet to be an emotional support animal or require some sort of proof of relationship.

Re: Apple’s Unionized Store Wants to Start Accepting Tips from Customers

#119
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Isn't the whole idea behind unionization that we can get beyond tipping?" Every time this comes up on Reddit people in the food service industry say they do not want to get rid of tips.

That's because complaints about tips are bald-faced lies. Tipped employees make much more with tips than they would otherwise, doubly so because cash tips are chronically unreported to the IRS. Income numbers are skewed across the board because the US's service industry participates in blatant tax evasion.

Oh I completely understand why they like tips. I have a feeling all of these new IRS agents are going to crack down on it though. It has to be pretty easy to track now that most tipping happens digitally via the POS system.
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