WEST COAST
Opinion by:
E. Eugene Webb PhD
As the percentage of vaccinations increases and the country begins to open, it would appear that things are slowly returning to normal.
One of
the most interesting side effects of the pandemic has been the effect on
employment in the hospitality industry.
News
media reports are full of almost teary-eyed restaurateurs and small shop owners
who constantly lament that they cannot hire the employees they need to serve
their returning customer base.
Almost
all, blame the unemployment subsidies from the federal government as, “Paying
people for sitting at home doing nothing.”
On the
other hand, there are also growing reports that many of those formerly in the
hospitality industry have been recruited by retail an industrial organizations
offering higher wages, benefits and more job stability.
It
seems to me, that the Democrats and the Biden administration may have finally
hit on the solution to the redistribution of wealth.
Rather
than a bunch of new taxes, let's just keep paying these employment benefits
until the hospitality industry recognizes the fact that they are going to have
to change their business model, pay a living wage and provide their employees
with a significant benefit structure if they're going to compete with the rest
of the economy in the employment market.
Here's
a suggestion for the owners of bars, restaurants, craft breweries, small and
medium-size shops. It may be time to think about redoing your business model.
In the
restaurant business, if you own a restaurant employed 40 or 50 people, many of
them servers, that you probably pay somewhere between $2 and $3 an hour, and
they make the rest of their money on tips while you take a substantial wage out
of your business it may be time to consider sharing the wealth.
Maybe
it is time to trade that Lexus or Land Rover sitting out back for something a
little more cost-effective and consider paying your servers at least minimum
wage along with a benefit package.
I can
hear the wails and cry even as I speak. I would have to raise my prices.
Yes,
you would.
How do
I know my customers would continue to patronize my establishment?
Actually,
you don't.
But
here's a thought. Restructure your business, hire some quality people, raise
your prices put a note on your menu and a sign in your establishment that
tipping is not expected but appreciated and see what happens.
You
might just be surprised.
If
you're a server or someone who works on tips in the hospitality or food service
industry, I've changed my view of all this, and I think you should just sit
there and wait until the unemployment subsidy runs out at the very least and
help motivate those who make substantial incomes by owning these businesses to
share the wealth.
It
seems all of this may just be an unintended consequence of our attempts to deal
with the coronavirus pandemic, but in the long run this unintended consequence
may just turn out to be a good thing.
E-mail
Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb)
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