I wonder that as well.

Even if minimum wage laws aren't the issue here, Marriott's skin in the game on this is clearly to nudge more of us into paying for their staff. If more and more of us do, it will certainly impact the market for this kind of labor in the direction of Marriott's benefit. Perhaps they attract better talent right at minimum wage than they otherwise would have. Perhaps they can get away with giving maids less other benefits as still attract basic labor to clean the rooms. Maybe they really *are* trying to classify them as tipped employees so they can pay them $3/hr.

As the guest, I don't care a whole lot about Marriott's labor relations beyond the fact that I want the rooms cleaned. But I don't think this is something the guests should be involved in.

And yes, if it was up to me our society would evolve past tipping entirely. Since that isn't going to happen, the best we can hope for is to not add *new* professions to those that are tipped.