'TIP' earners in Nevada, California, Washington, Montana, Alaska, Oregon

[in_cog_ni_to]

and Minnesota....Did you know the GOP is trying to lower your wages? If you are a waitress, waiter, manicurist, bellhop, hairdresser the GOP wants to lower your wages by NOT paying your state's MINIMUM WAGE + tips. They want you to get paid LESS and make up the difference with your tips. :( You could have your wages cut by $3.00 or MORE an hour! :( These people are shameless.

Here's the story...

By ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON Aug 2, 2006 (AP)— Tip money earned by waitresses in Las Vegas, manicurists in Hollywood and bartenders in Seattle is on the table in the nation's capital as lawmakers scrap over an election-year minimum wage bill.

Nevada, California and Washington are among seven states where workers get to keep their tips on top of getting paid their state's full minimum wage. In other states, tip-earning workers get paid less and make up the difference with tips.

A provision in GOP-written minimum wage legislation passed by the House and under consideration this week by the Senate could change the law in those seven states the others are Montana, Alaska, Minnesota and Oregon. It would deal a pay cut of $3 or more an hour to thousands of waiters, bellhops and hairdressers in those states, according to Democrats and labor groups.

"Everything that has been achieved in seven states to support low-wage workers who earn tips is destroyed by this bill," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. "This bill would slash the salaries of thousands of workers."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., called the provision a "travesty."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2267565

[sproutster]

1. True story:

I started waitressing in Alaska where we made full minimum wage plus tips. I worked in the highest volume breakfast 24 hour place in the US. I didn't notice that management was losing any money. I also could afford to live on my own, and even see a movie when I wanted to.

I moved to Idaho that cuts the minimum wage ... Unbelievable ... I lived in a mini trailer with my son and had to scrimp on food to get decent daycare. I served the same amount of people but with more of a workload.

I went back to Alaska.

[Nikki Stone 1]

2. This is really important

Thanks for posting it

[LSK]

3. the tips are mentioned AT THE BOTTOM of the bill

Right under the Minimum wage provisions which is also ON THE BOTTOM of this Estate Tax revision bill.


http://www.rules.house.gov/109_2nd/text/etetra/THOMAS_172_xml.pdf


SEC. 401. MINIMUM WAGE.

Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:

`(1) except as otherwise provided in this section, not less than--

`(A) $5.15 an hour beginning September 1, 1997;

`(B) $5.85 an hour, beginning on January 1, 2007;

`(C) $6.55 an hour, beginning June 1, 2008; and

`(D) $7.25 an hour, beginning June 1, 2009;'.

SEC. 402. TIPPED WAGE FAIRNESS.

Section 3(m) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(m)) is amended--

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;

(2) by striking `Wage' paid to any employee' and inserting `(1) `Wage' paid to any employee';

(3) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated), by inserting before the period the following: `: Provided, That the tips shall not be included as part of the wage paid to an employee to the extent that they are excluded therefrom under the terms of a bona fide collective bargaining agreement applicable to the particular employee'; and

(4) by adding at the end of the following:

`(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, any State or political subdivision of a State which on or after the date of enactment of the Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006 excludes all of a tipped employee's tips from being considered as wages in determining if such tipped employee has been paid the applicable minimum wage rate, may not establish or enforce the minimum wage rate provisions of such law, ordinance, regulation, or order in such State or political subdivision thereof with respect to tipped employees unless such law, ordinance, regulation, or order is revised or amended to permit such employee to be paid a wage by the employee's employer in an amount not less than an amount equal to--

`(A) the cash wage paid such employee which is required under such law, ordinance, regulation, or order on the date of enactment of the Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006; and

`(B) an additional amount on account of tips received by such employee which amount is equal to the difference between the cash wage described in subparagraph (A) and the minimum wage rate in effect under such law, ordinance, regulation, or order, or the minimum wage rate in effect under section 6(a), whichever is higher.'.

Passed the House of Representatives July 29 (legislative day, July 28), 2006.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Call me a state's righter...

but I don't think the national government has any business messing in Alaska's minimum wage laws. This has been big news here.

[AnnieBW]

5. You Tip EVERYWHERE In Las Vegas

You're pretty much expected to tip everywhere in Las Vegas - not only restaurants and hotels, but your casino dealer, bellman, etc. There's a lot of college-age kids, single parents, retirees, etc. that make decent money off of their tips. This is really gonna hurt them.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

6. In Oklahoma, you make $2.15 per hour plus your tips...

It sucks...but there you go.
Duckie