As restaurants & hotels prepare to open after lockdown, how are workers treated in the Irish hospitality sector? Featuring @deecurrannuig @NUIGCairnes @nuigalway – video by @_LauraGaynor https://t.co/YE4lbvP8SK pic.twitter.com/u6ScgAd6G7
— RTÉ Brainstorm (@RTEBrainstorm) June 23, 2020
This morning.
Laura Gaynor’s report for the RTÉ Brainstorm strand on the treatment of staff in both fancy and fast food outlets.
The lemons are off (@1.15).
A letter the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty sent to her constituents earlier this month
The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty recently wrote a letter to her constituents in which she stated:
“I ensured that tips in our hospitality sector are paid to employees and not withheld.”
However, last June…
The Irish Times reported:
A Bill to prevent employers deducting or withholding tips from employees has been passed by the Seanad despite Government opposition.
Senators voted by 25 to 14 on an amendment to the Sinn Féin National Minimum Wage (Protection of Employee Tips) Bill and then passed the Bill without a vote.
Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan, who introduced the legislation, rejected as “completely wrong” claims by Minister for Employment Affairs Regina Doherty that the legislation would result in tips being taxed under the PAYE system and would have knock-on negative effects on workers’ entitlements to social welfare supports.
…Independent Senator Michael McDowell sharply criticised Ms Doherty for putting a “money message” on the legislation, required for Bills that will have an impact on the exchequer.
He said it was an “absolutely threadbare and totally unacceptable suggestion” that it involves appropriating the public revenue.
Mr McDowell said that “in a society transforming itself to a cashless society it is wholly wrong that that entirely positive development is used as a licence to plunder workers’ pockets”.
There you go now.
Meanwhile…
Last Monday, before the election date was called, Ms Doherty was interviewed by Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke, during which she told Mr O’Rourke:
“Nobody ever reads manifestos during the election. Seán, you know that.”
Listen back to the interview in full here
Pic: One Galway
UPDATE:
I’m on Social Protection & Employment Committee & can confirm that the Gov did NOT pass a Bill to protect employee tips & indeed blocked good legislation on this by delaying money message for @paul_gavan Bill which had already passed all stages in #Seanad w. cross party support! https://t.co/eCpwe0qBcX
— Alice Mary Higgins (@aliceeire) January 15, 2020
A rather mesmerising short by Alexa Lim Haas focussing on the daily routines of a Chinese manicurist at a Florida strip mall struggling with loneliness and a language she barely understands.
Far less grim than it sounds.
