End exploitation of hotel and restaurant staff - Evening News

For the last ten Christmas holidays, the hotel and restaurant staff who will have been working flat-out serving thousands of Christmas parties across Scotland have been paid at least the national minimum wage â€“ introduced in 1999.

Now, that's good news as far as it goes, but I and many others, including the union UNITE, are campaigning hard to make this the last Christmas when tips for staff can be used by unscrupulous employers to make up the minimum wage – rather than being on top of their wages, as most of us think it will be when we tip for good service.

The loophole exists through a concern in the late 1990s that the minimum wage would cost jobs – a scaremongering notion that is not accepted any more, even by the most right-wing of commentators. But that loophole has been exploited, in particular when tips are added by customers on to debit or visa cards at the end of their meal. Some employers have used the money as part of the general pay roll for their staff – rather than separating it out for the staff.

This loophole must be closed, and after many years' campaigning, action is now taking place. The Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform has issued a consultation to end this practice.

I would urge all of you – particularly those who work in this part of the service sector – to make your views known to the Government. You can

email - tippingconsultation@berr.gsi. gov.uk or
write to National Minimum Wage unit, 1 Victoria St, London, SW1H or
contact your local MP.

We have until February 16, 2009 to get responses in on issues of mandatory and non-mandatory service charges, tips, gratuities and cover charges – and the more responses the better to make sure we stop this practice and let the waiters and waitresses, chefs and kitchen porters get their well-earned tips.

In the meantime, this Christmas you can show your appreciation of good service by paying the tips in cash – and give staff a bonus they deserve.