Former Labor Secretary Found What Work Is Like Now

While I'll admit I experienced a quick mental blip on the notion that someone might expect me to tip an amount that's a function of movie tickets plus food and drinks in a counter-service situation, I think it's a spot-on observation that workers on the low end of the wage spectrum have a sea of options and won't be putting up with what amounts to abuse, even if it's not an entirely intentional act on the part of management.

The article tracks very well with what I've heard from employers and employees that it's not just about wages. The author was clearly happy with the gig when things were going well.

But when it's Christmas (or maybe when there's something fun happening this weekend that sounds better than cleaning feces from a movie theater seat) during a labor shortage and everyone is overworked, the low wages combine with literally every other damn downside about what can be a truly thankless job to form a crystal-clear and perfectly legitimate plan to achieve the perfect holiday schedule. A worker can simply quit, enjoy their holiday, and later go find a job that's probably going to pay more and/or offer better working conditions.

It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I was trying to add to the discussion with my experience.

I will add, the role of barista has changed at Starbucks in the last 20 years. When I had that job, pulling a good shot and foaming the milk properly was something that I took a lot of pride in - I approached it as a skill. As I was leaving the company was moving to essentially push-button espresso machines, removing any sense of craft from the barista.

It makes perfect business sense, as the company goal is the same quality of drink no matter time/place/barista, but to me just pushing buttons wasn't interesting or fun.

Honestly, I loved that job! People come in, and you give them the thing that makes them happier and helps them feel better. I had regulars with a nice rapport, and I worked 5a to noon most days and was able to hike or golf in the afternoons. I was living rent free as a house sitter, which made the finances work out.

One area that is problematic is not the custom of tipping, but the policy around tip-based wage earners. Sure, people will tip. Is the concern that the practice makes untraceable tax revenue? We could do away with the policy practice of reduced minimum wage floors for tip-based jobs. It wouldn't introduce a barrier for the practice of tipping, but it also wouldn't tacitly condone tipping through policy, either.

Now, can off-books money change hands (undeclared, untaxed income)? Sure, but honestly someone can hand me cash right now and it wouldn't be trackable either. So from that, I don't believe that we can or should stop tipping, actually (I don't see the problem with it).

My problem is: I don't think that policy reliant on goodwill (suppressing minimum wage floors and hoping tips arrive) is a good strategy. I've had those jobs and I know that pain. It's * almost * like the author is saying that demand will meet the supply shortage in labor right now, but there's this ghost tip component of the equation that troubles me. Just do away with reduced minimum wage floors for "tip based" jobs. Then we don't have to send this message any way other than, "it's nice to tip for nice service."