Trade union Unite joins forces with newspaper over tips

15 May 2008
Trade union Unite joins forces with newspaper over tips

Trade union Unite has joined forces with the Daily Mirror to launch a campaign urging restaurants and hotels to sign a "fair tips charter".

The campaign is calling on the hospitality industry to demonstrate their commitment to ensuring tips and services charges are distributed fairly among staff.

It marks the latest stage of Unite's campaign against employers which take a cut from credit card tips and also use tips to make up the minimum wage. It began last September with protests outside Pizza Express and Smollensky's on the Strand.

Tony Woodley, Unite joint general secretary said: "Employers in the hospitality industry must ensure that all employees receive a decent living wage with 100% of tips added on top.

"We welcome the commitment by Pizza Hut and TGI Friday's to take a lead on this issue by signing the charter. The union now wants others within the sector to demonstrate their commitment to a fair and transparent tipping system."

Richard Wallace, editor of the Daily Mirror, added: "I'm sure many of our readers were astonished to find that it's perfectly legal to pay restaurant staff less than the minimum wage and then make up the difference with tips. This is a loophole that the Government must close.

"It's equally wrong for companies to take a cut of staff tips. A tip is a reward for good service and it should go directly to the people who earned it. The Daily Mirror is proud to support this campaign and I urge all responsible restaurant and hotel bosses to sign up."

Union leaders launch campaign for fair tips >>

Unite continues campaign for fair tips with protest outside Pizza Express >>

Government looking at taking direct action on restaurant tips >>

Tips can count towards minimum wage finds tribunal >>

By Daniel Thomas

E-mail your comments to Daniel Thomas here.

The Caterer Blog](http://www.caterersearch.com/blogs/catering-news-blog/) Catch up with more news and gossip on the Caterer Blog here
[Newsletters For the latest hospitality news, sign up for our e-mail newsletters.
The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking