Time to stop tipping

Having read the letter from the casino employees about their wages, I support them 100 per cent.

This organization makes millions and millions of dollars off the backs of gambling citizens, yet chooses to pay its employees minimum wage, or close to it.

How can they expect people to live in this economy on those kinds of wages? I would love to know what the CEO makes, but I’ll bet it’s nowhere near minimum wage.

Then there’s the issue of tips. In a quote from the article, the writer said: “The company has been taking aim at our tips. A tip is a reward for good service, it was never designed to be a supplement for poor wages. Gateway Casinos should not download the responsibility of paying a living wage onto our guests. Many casino workers don’t receive tips at all.”

This was very well said and goes beyond the casino dispute.

Many restaurants are now also taking a cut of their employees' tips.

As the writer indicated, tips are supposed to be a reward for good service, not an “expectation” nor a supplement to the restaurant's profits.

I think it’s time to stop the practice of tipping altogether and force these businesses to to pay a fair and living wage.

Ken Quesnel