What do you do for work?

[Sixteen Saltines]

^ Glad I don't have to tip out the kitchen. Only the bartender, and .05% at that.

Working a double on Friday and Saturday, then work Sunday morning. Gunna be rough.

[Sirius Faust]

I am surprised I don't see more americans fighting against federal minimum wage. Shouldn't it be the states in-charge? Think about this, you set a national minimum wage as if life in NYC is the same as life in Topeka, Kansas. If you look at what it cost to live in different cities through out the US by comparing what a typical middle class family of 4 would have to spend to maintain the same life-style in each location you'd find that the average US city would come in at about $61,000 dollars, Manhattan on the other hand was $146,000 +, more than 50% over the national average and this goes for other major cities through out the US. So why set a uniform national wage when the cost of living is anything but uniform? The states should be allowed to set the minimum wage to whats relevant for the citizens who live in it.

Honestly, I don't care about income inequality, I don't care if some people make a whole butt load more money than other people. In fact, I want that to happen because it motivates people to push themselves harder. It's a function of something called capitalism, and I am all for capitalism. What I do care about is that people are able to meet their basic needs such as food, drink, shelter. I also care about people having every opportunity to succeed financially if they work hard. No one should ever have to face an up-hill battle based on race, gender, or anything else other than merit.

[The Empirical Guy]

just following the whole tipping thing, when I've been in Australia with some American friends, you can't imagine the shock and awe when they realize we don't have to leave a tip after dinner service. that pales in comparison with the shock and awe when I tell them that the waiters are making at least $20/hr. Australia pays a minimum wage that actually supports life beyond a subsistence level - America's happy if you're just barely starving.

I don't know about that. There are plenty of people here struggling. Although wages here are higher, virtually everything costs 2-3 times as much as it does in America. Some items even see a 100% markup. Lots of people now buy stuff from overseas because it's cheaper, and the logic here from retailers is that if they're selling less through losing out to cheaper competition, they don't lower prices, they raise them to cover their costs from reduced sales, which just exacerbates the problem.
A guy I work with just got back from America, and said he bought 2 pairs of shoes for $49. Just one of those pairs would have cost over $100 here. The all time classic example is checking out the Australian iTunes store - we pay more than other countries, for a download of the exact same file over the exact same internet - in an economic climate where are dollar is frequently worth more than the American. Figure that one out.

[Manichaeist]

A guy I work with just got back from America, and said he bought 2 pairs of shoes for $49. Just one of those pairs would have cost over $100 here. The all time classic example is checking out the Australian iTunes store - we pay more than other countries, for a download of the exact same file over the exact same internet - in an economic climate where are dollar is frequently worth more than the American. Figure that one out.

well in terms of physical (non-produce) goods that's the cost of being so far removed from most of the industrial centers of the world. like, one of the reasons Australia is still largely pristine is because it's a billion miles away from everything else but at the same time, shipping costs are going to put your balls in a vice. I remember when I was living in Australia, book prices in particular were absurd; a book that would cost me $15 in American was easily $35 in Sydney. CDs were similar although not subject to quite as heavy a mark-up. many Australian food prices are far lower than here, though. for example, those delicious mangoes you get - and to be honest, American can't get a mango worth a shit - are a third of what they cost here. the same goes for avocados. I've noticed the stuff Australia produces domestically (particularly food) tends to be of a much higher quality than what we can buy here, and that's largely down to the inordinate number of dips in quality control utilized to lower prices excessively. like, I'm kind of ok paying a little more if the quality is superior. so much American food (which is coming from China, Mexico and South America anyway) is absolute shit. your pharmaceuticals are affordable, we get robbed blind for everything here, etc., etc.

as for the download thing, I don't really know anything about that but for fuck's sake, why use iTunes to get music anyway

[The Empirical Guy]

I don't - it was just example. I buy all my music on CD - usually from America, where it's cheaper and released on time ;)

[Dirge Inferno]

I'm a hydrant fixer.

[AssetReign]

^ I initially read that as "I'm a fire hydrant."

[darluh]

Use to work at a veterinary clinic, since I moved to poop hole Ohio I work at a pet store :l I am currently studying Vet Tech

[Dirge Inferno]

^ I initially read that as "I'm a fire hydrant."

I'm a fire hydrant.

[Tabris]

Waiters and waitresses make $2.13 hr. That is significantly below minimum wage. The rule has been to tip between 10% - 15% of what your bill is. When you dine out, you are essentially hiring someone to work for you. You are paying for their assistance and services. It's the same with house keeping or even baby sitting. If someone is doing a job for you, then you are required to pay them. Dining out is not attending a picnic and it's not fast food where the workers get paid minimum wage if not above minimum wage. It's also a luxury to have someone wait on you. People who haven't worked in the food industry do not understand how hard of a job it is to do and how much harder being rude to those people makes things.

When I go into a restaurant I always take into consideration the amount of people who are waiting to be served there. I also take into consideration that the cooks, expo workers and hosts may be extremely busy and that it may take a while to get my food, and also with all of the tickets for maybe 6 or 7 cooks that my order may come back wrong. It's your choice to dine where you are dining and if you get less than excellent service then you shouldn't complain as there are all of those things that I just mentioned to consider. We've all made mistakes on the job, but not all of us have to stand in front of a room full of people and be berated by an angry group of people with a mixed up drink order. So if anything, tip out of common courtesy and don't be a cheapskate. Dining isn't cheap. I always tip at least 10 dollars when I go out to eat. That's the least I think I can offer someone who just spent 45 minutes doing me the service of getting my drinks, food, and pretending to be nice to me.

I always consider it the managers job to create a culture in the workplace where their employees want to work hard and do a good job because they are treated well.
It is not the customers job or responsibility to decide how much an employee deserves to be paid, they are there to enjoy their time and have their needs met. They pay for the service in the bill here, some people tip but it isn't expected, it is just sorta a nice bonus... Where I work we split the tips up when every staff member will get $50, because we are a team, people tip cause they enjoyed the food, atmosphere and service.
I have always tried to do my best for my boss because she is a great person who treats me and all the other people she employs with respect and I want to see her buisness succeed. Everyone there works hard because the management is good, and I guess we are also paid a proper wage too, not $2/hr.
I think the tipping culture in some ways takes away this responsibility of the manager and tells people they should work well and provide good service just so they actually get paid. It is a strange system imo ._.;

I work as a waitress while I study for my degree in electrical power engineering.