I sympathize with the barista here, but mindset that customers need to cover 10 to 20% of his income is symptom of decades of brainwashing of employees and customers alike. In this case NPR is part of this brainwashing. I will not tip someone for doing their job. I will only tip when I feel it is needed based on the service provided.
I disagree, he hasn’t shown that the amount of unreported tips each year is substantial enough to even affect social security. Especially in a world where more and more transactions are completely cashless. You know what makes a bigger difference? Undocumented migrants that work under the table.
According to https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/08/20/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/
“7.6 million immigrant workers are unauthorized immigrants,”
And https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/median-hourly-wage
“in 2019, the median hourly wage […] $13 for undocumented immigrants”
So $13 x 40 hours x 52 weeks x 7.6M workers = $205B of untaxed income
According to https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/02/how-much-do-waiters-really-earn-in-tips/385515/
“Nationally this adds up to as much as $11 billion in unreported (and untaxed) income.”
Let’s also talk about wage theft because https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/owed-employers-face-little-accountability-for-wage-theft/
“According to one estimate from the nonprofit think tank Economic Policy Institute, reported and unreported wage theft could amount to as much as $50 billion per year owed to workers.”
So tell me again how workers are the ones causing the problems.
nobody said workers are causing the problem. it’s like you don’t even read what people say you just argue. And for the record I don’t disagree with what you’re saying. cool write-up though