Tips/Gratuities to Marina Staff?

[Steve Rust]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

Becuz people are cheap.

I would say it is the business owners that are cheap. Why is it the customers responsibility to subsidize low wages paid to the employees? It is getting out of hand here in the U.S. I refuse to participate and seldom tip for anything anymore. Though my wife will do it behind my back at when we eat out. I don't expect to be tipped for the work I do and the times I have been I have refused.

[S/V Elusive]

Currently in California, the minimum wage is $8.00/hr. In addition to paying that, the employer must pay into UII, Workers Comp., Social Security, and often into the health plan -- Possibly provide uniforms, training, educational benefits, and 6 months of paid leave if they or their spouse becomes pregnant.

Next time you go into a restaurant and think that $10 is too much for a hamburger ... (obviously I didn't include the overhead associated with the physical location - rent, insurance, taxes, upkeep, bookkeeping and so on) ... Frankly, I don't know how small business owners do it. I sure wouldn't want to.

My point is, business owners pay as little to their employees as they can: too low, no one will work there, too high and you don't make a living. So TIPs (originally paid BEFORE service - To Insure (sic) Promptness) are a perk that enables an employer to entice people to work at a particular place. The employee, by virtue of their attitude, service provided, and quickness, can, in effect, alter what they make (on a per hour basis). But, tipping, is, and always HAD been optional - as noted above, often times establishments add a set tip (by percentage) to the bill.

$0.02 rolling on the table ... NOT A TIP!

[scallywag]

I would like to thank the forum members for this enlightening topic. I never tipped at a marina. Most marinas at which I have stayed were city owned in the state of Florida. I thought the dock personnel were covered by state retirement. I see I have to change my thinking and tip.
John

[Chiroeurope]

Okay, raised in the US but in an old fashioned Italian family. Tip's per se are only given for work above what is considered expected (If I am paying you to do a job, shouldn't have to bribe you to do it well). Most Americans i see here in the UK and Italy either tip because they think they have to (strongly mistaken idea, even though hotel staff would argue with me) or as a way to "buy" better service. Don't get me wrong, we do tip only it is for a reason and not always money.

Michael

[Chief Engineer]

You apparently know nothing about the restaurant business.

Restaurants, at least in my state, do not have to pay minimum wage.

I have been tipped for the work that I do. In refusing a tip you are essentially spitting in the face of the person offering it to you.

It is disrespectful.

Originally Posted by Steve Rust

I would say it is the business owners that are cheap. Why is it the customers responsibility to subsidize low wages paid to the employees? It is getting out of hand here in the U.S. I refuse to participate and seldom tip for anything anymore. Though my wife will do it behind my back at when we eat out. I don't expect to be tipped for the work I do and the times I have been I have refused.

[dacust]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

You apparently know nothing about the restaurant business.

Restaurants, at least in my state, do not have to pay minimum wage.

I have been tipped for the work that I do. In refusing a tip you are essentially spitting in the face of the person offering it to you.

It is disrespectful.

In Georgia, the minimum wage for waiters is much lower than the general wage. (I am dredging this up from deep in my memory, but I think back when minimum wage was $3.85, it was $1.60 for wait staff.) The tips are what makes up the rest of their pay. Since so many waiters don't claim those tips on their tax return, they have a minimum standard for tips. If they claim less than that, they still have taxes withheld on that minimum amount. I THINK that includes federal taxes, as well! So, here in the US, tipping should always be done. It is part of their pay. I may vary the amount based on service, but I almost NEVER stiff someone.

-dan

[Islandmike]

If a person performs their job well I certainly will tip, and generally well. However, if they do not perform well, I absolutly do not feel obligated to tip. I really dont care if tips are subsidizing their pay or not. That should not be guarantee of more money, performace is the key to better jobs and more money. The front line associates are the key to a successful business, especially in an environment that relies on labor to get much of the work done.

[Fishspearit]

Originally Posted by scallywag

I would like to thank the forum members for this enlightening topic. I never tipped at a marina. Most marinas at which I have stayed were city owned in the state of Florida. I thought the dock personnel were covered by state retirement. I see I have to change my thinking and tip.
John

My experience was just at one City Marina a long time ago, but out of 6 dockhands only one was a city employee with benefits, assigned because of a temporary staff shortage. The rest of us were just minimum wage grunts.

Tips or no tips, it was a pretty gravy job, one of the easier I've had in my life.