wsorbust said:
Of course... I realize this. But, it's like any other job without a college education...such as a waiter/ess. . . Both pay well....considering. . .whether you consider it well or not is another story. I do.
wsorbust,
This retrieved off the US Department of Labor site:
"If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the minimum hourly wage -- $5.15 an hour effective 9/1/97 -- the employer must make up the difference."
I think your first line is a little stereotypical. Not all service people lack education. Some even have some college if not complete college degrees. But, there are a few that can make more in the service industry than they can in their major.
This I know first hand have being a restaurant owner and a long time waitress.
Most places DON'T pay squat. Some do pay well. The last job I left, I made $2.60 an hour plus tips, this was my leaving pay. Grant it I did make a decent wage. I had the best shift, I had senority and I had a long term customer base. I gave good service and people remember that.
Now my prior job before that job above. I got paid 2.50 an hour and made squat. Decisions made by owners and just all around stupidity from the owners affected my wages. I couldn't have lived on what I made there if my husband wasn't working. I left after trying to stick it out for 6 months for the other job. I made more the first day working for the above place in one day than I did for 4 days at the other place. Infact, I took an hourly paycut by 40 cents originally for the new job. But it paid off in the long run by changing.
Wsorbust,
It's just like any other job in this world, is it worth it? and it is how you make it.
I'll get off my soapbox on this. I don't think shortstacked intended this thread to be a debate about how much service workers make.
Mike Caro wrote about tipping in a past Poker Player magazine in March 6 2006. Here is a link:
http://www.pokerplayernewspaper.com/back-issues/pp060306S.pdf
It is archived in acrobat reader.