I agree with everything you say in the first seven words of your post.

After that I think you are way off base. Tips are tips are tips. Last time I checked, no one has ever been forced to be a skycap, a waiter, etc.. They choose this job because presumambly it appeals to them for one reason or another. For a skycap, maybe they like meeting people, working outside, or working with minimal supervision.

Whatever the reason, they choose the job. IF they do the job well, are courteous and professional, odds are very good that they will make significantly more than minimum wage when tips are received for good service again whether they are a skycap, bellman, or waiter.

I think it would take a warped sense of values to expect a tip just because you don't get paid enough. If you don't think you are being paid enough in salary-then quit and go get another job. Its that simple. But don't cry that your salary is so low that tips should be mandatory. They are not and will not be.

Lastly, I don't follow your argument about underreporting tips for the IRS. I assume that it is the employer that reports the tips on the employees behalf. If that is the case, unless you are a complete idiot, you will make sure that the amount reported is not more than what you actually received, otherwise I agree with you they would be paying more than their fair share of taxes.

On the other hand, why should I feel sorry for them if they can't get a bigger motgage, higher credit limit or are audited if they underreported their earnings. Sounds like they were cheating the system and got caught.

[This message has been edited by chfenton (edited 11-16-2002).]