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Measures unveiled to help service staff keep tips | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Measures to help staff keep more of their tips and make it clearer to customers that they are optional have been proposed by the government. | |
It follows claims that some restaurant chains were regularly holding back some or all of the tips meant for staff. | It follows claims that some restaurant chains were regularly holding back some or all of the tips meant for staff. |
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said the plan would "make tipping fairer" for millions of service industry workers. | |
The Unite union said it was a "massive victory" for waiting staff who want to "take home what they have earned". | |
There will be a two-month consultation on the proposals, which the government said would stamp out unfairness. | There will be a two-month consultation on the proposals, which the government said would stamp out unfairness. |
The proposals include: | |
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said the government had always been very clear that it wanted "workers who earn a tip to be able to keep it. | |
"That's why I, like many others, was disappointed by the tipping practices of some of our well-known chains. This has to change. | |
"Today I'm setting out our proposals to make tipping fairer, clamping down on unfair practices and securing a better deal for the millions of workers in the service industry. | "Today I'm setting out our proposals to make tipping fairer, clamping down on unfair practices and securing a better deal for the millions of workers in the service industry. |
"We will look closely at all the options, including legislation if necessary," Mr Javid said. | "We will look closely at all the options, including legislation if necessary," Mr Javid said. |
Unite had been campaigning for action after complaining that some firms were counting tips as part of a worker's pay. | |
Announcing its consultation, the government said that 80% of consumers want to see tips go directly to workers or distributed among staff. | Announcing its consultation, the government said that 80% of consumers want to see tips go directly to workers or distributed among staff. |
'Rogue employers' | 'Rogue employers' |
Dave Turnbull, Unite's officer for the hospitality sector said it would need the support of the law to make any change effective. | Dave Turnbull, Unite's officer for the hospitality sector said it would need the support of the law to make any change effective. |
"The problem has always been that tips paid on a credit card and service charges are deemed the property of the employer," he said. | "The problem has always been that tips paid on a credit card and service charges are deemed the property of the employer," he said. |
"As they own them they can do what they like with them. Until staff are recognised as the lawful owners of their hard-earned tips with complete control over how they are shared out, rogue employers will continue to cream off staff tips." | "As they own them they can do what they like with them. Until staff are recognised as the lawful owners of their hard-earned tips with complete control over how they are shared out, rogue employers will continue to cream off staff tips." |
But he said the proposals were a "massive victory for all those waiting staff who have worked tirelessly to expose sharp practices in the hospitality industry". | |
"All they want is what any worker wants - to take home what they have earned, no corners cut," he said. | |
The British Hospitality Association (BHA), which represents more than 40,000 establishments in the UK, said the proposals should help make tipping clearer for workers and consumers. | |
BHA chief executive Ufi Ibrahim said: "Customers should be able to reward good service and know where their money ends up and how much of it goes to the staff." | |
She said the BHA will meet with hospitality business leaders across the UK and conduct its own impact assessment. | |
The consultation period runs until 27 June 2016. |