I would agree that housekeepers should be paid by the employers to the extent that they don't have to rely on tips -- cover the expense by including it in the nightly rate; that would be fine with me.

But the fact of the matter is that my not tipping doesn't address the issue -- the hotels either don't know or don't care; my money is on the latter., but I do. (And I'm glad I don't have to do wrestle with mattresses for a living, or worse, contend with the sometimes unspeakable conditions that a housekeeper may have to contend with in a vacated room.)

In return for the gratuity I expect that the proper job of cleaning be done --

I won't put up with the slap-dash "cleaning-rinsing" of bathoroom glasses or the lack of dusting and I expect my "Do Not Disturb" signs to be respected and reasonable requests (like an extra pillow) to be fulfilled.

I don't know -- maybe it's guilt.

I will never forget one night in the Ren Mayflower when we were late getting out for dinner.

There was a knock on the door -- for the evening room refreshment

I will never forget the housekeeper (a tiny girl)) coming out of the bedroom or our suite (Plat upgrade), clutching the two one-dollar bills we had left on the pillow.

She came over to me, bowed, curtseyed and proceeded to move backwards toward the door, she felt it mandatory to acknowledge, via that gesture, her station in life..

She was so grateful, seemed on the verge of tears as the result of receiving from us what we considered a pittance. So, unless a housekeeper does something that I dislike or is unreasonable I will continue to leave that tip every morning -- whether or not it is reimbursable..