Okay, so I don't live in Minnesota so I can't really judge this delusional asshole politician. Far be it from me to make assumptions about someone simply based on one single article I read online, but Minnesota state Rep. Tom Emmer sounds like a supreme douchebag of asshats. Like if the president was looking to fill a seat for the Supreme Court of Dickwads, this guy would be a shoe in. If he wins the governership he wants to cut the hourly wage of waiters in Minnesota to $2.13 an hour from the $5.25-$6.15 an hour they make now. He lives in one of the seven states that are not allowed to pay servers below the federal minimum wage. First off, I wanna know what the other six states are, because I had no idea. I am sweating my server balls off over here in New York City for $4.60 an hour. I guess the upside of that is that I live in New York City instead of Minnesota. I don't know jack shit about Minnesota except that Mary Tyler Moore was a television producer there in Minneapolis in the '70's and she worked for Lou Grant.Representative Emmer wants to help the small businesses and restaurants and let them pay their servers almost 2/3 less. "With the tips that they get to take home, they [sic] are some people earning over $100,000 a year. More than the very people providing the jobs and investing not only their life savings but their families' future," says Rep. Douchebag. Where are these Minnesotans working where they are taking home that much money? Or do I need to move my ass there right now because people tip something like 150% on every check? He made this announcement at Eagle Street Grille in St. Paul and said that some of the employees there make that much money. The owner of the restaurant said there are actually a couple of people out of his staff of 45 who do in fact bank that much money. But Emmer went to a restaurant to make this announcement? I hope he didn't order a glass of lemonade after his little press conference because if he did you know some bitchy ass waiter hocked a loogie up in there first.
Why can't he just let it be? If anything, we should have some politician raising a ruckus in the other 43 states because so many servers make $2.13 an hour. But no, he wants to shake things up a bit and try to save some money for the business owners and screw the workers. And judging by his picture, he spends plenty of time in restaurants. I bet he eats two or three Awesome Blossoms for a snack and drinks Thousand Island dressing out of a Big Gulp cup. What an asshole.
If you want to tell Mr. Emmer hello, click here. That's his website. Send him an email. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you. And tell him The Bitchy Waiter says hello. And if you want more people to know about this guy, feel free to pass this on.
Click here to follow The Bitchy Waiter blog.
Click here to follow The Bitchy Waiter on Twitter.
Click here to find The Bitchy Waiter on Facebook.
30 comments:
Argh! Why do otherwise intelligent ppl not understand how tipping works? Mrrh.
Anyway, I sent Mr. Rep a nice little email. Hopefully it'll make him think twice, if it makes it past his interns.
It'll pass, 'cos there's no union for waiters in most states. I hear tell New York has one and I guess Las Vegas does, and I was a member of a union at one hotel I worked at in Denver, but it wouldn't have been powerful enough to stop this. This is the same argument Bob Dole made in 1983 when he started the whole 8% tip law. Back then, Dole said we were "just like prostitutes" and were "getting away" with tax-free earnings. Waiters used to claim just enough to bring them up to federal minimum wage (perhaps in the 7 states that already pay minimum, they didn't even do that) and we sure as heck weren't pulling in $100,000! I think the most I ever made in a year waiting tables was $25,000. It's probably more in expensive cities like New York or Boston, but the cost of living is about 4 times as high there, too.
It's ironic that this bozo will make the same exorbitant salary, whether he does anything or not, and a waiter can run their tail off and not make a dime, but still have to claim the earnings as if their customer played by the tax rules.
I'm angry enough that when times are tough, some fat-ass wants to cut wages for people who already work a gazillion times harder than he ever has in his life, but when he adds on the lies about how rich waiters are. Urrrrgh!
You're darn tootin' I'll write to him. And I hope he finds hair in his food for the rest of his life.
Here's what I wrote to him:
I am disgusted by your ignorant proposal to reduce (REDUCE!) the wages of hard-working waiters and waitresses and your outright lies about the earnings of these individuals. How dare you!
Here's some facts (though you obviously care little for them):
Waiters rarely have any kind of benefits ... ANY kind. No vacation pay, no sick leave, no insurance, no 401k .... NOTHING! Their hours fluctuate wildly, sexual abuse is rampant (victims include both males and females), ageism, racism ... you name it. And there's nowhere to turn to because nobody gives a rat's ass about "the servants." I waited tables for 20 years. I never made more than $25,000 in a year and I worked plenty of triple shits, splits, 115-hour weeks ... all on my feet, wearing down my body. I've got varicose veins, one hip higher than another and one shoulder shorter from carrying trays, and really messed up feet. No pension. Nothing but Social Security (and at $2.13 an hour plus the automatic tax that goes on gratuities based on sales - whether you make it or not - that's not much).
I've seen your picture. Though you've obviously spent PLENTY of time in restaurants, it is AMPLY clear you've never worked in one. I am appalled that you could even begin to consider even more stealing from the poor to feed your entitled, greedy, glutinous Republican (redundant, I know) pockets.
Shame, shame, shame on you!
(I'm beyond trying to be polite. He's gonna push for it no matter what, and he deserves to be called down for what he is.)
please.... do not blame minnesota for this mistake.... ;) it's a pretty awesome state, just saying. even though we hardly ever make the news or win sports games and although we have some stupid politicians, don't blame mn haha! I think it is really dumb that he wants to lower the wages... come on, less than three dollars an hour? wow. just wow.
Really? He claims a server makes 100K a year?
Perhaps he should spend a month or two doing what a server (or a pizza delivery man does) for a living, earning what a server earns and trying to pay his current set of bills with what he's earning.
Might sing a different tune afterwards.
You know maybe citizen Emmer isn't the only one that should get an email. That LYING sack of shit owner of the Eagle Street Grill ... who sounds like he is boo hooing to his buddy Tom, his servers are making more than he does! needs a wake-up call too! I checked out the menu to this place. Its nothing better than a re-name APPLEBEE's. There is no way anyone is making $100K a year at this place unless:
A. They pull a double 7 days a week. Even then I'd doubt it.
B. Have a 50 table station. or
C. Are ripping this cheap lying moron off!
Well if he does succeed, he will definitely notice a dip in the way he is/will be served... As they say, 'u get what u pay for'.... The better wait staff will move on to earn what they deserve which leaves the job to less diligent folk...
I love a fat asshat complaining about restaurant workers.
It's quite apparent that Emmer hasn't missed a meal since he was thawed out at the end of the last ice age, and yet he thinks servers make more money than restaurant owners.
He needs to step away from the fucktard buffet.
I've been on the case since reading about this yesterday. Made a nice informative video and will be posting about it today. A few things you left out:
1) Emmers will most likely be the GOP Nominee for Governor of MN in November.
2) Servers there actually make $7.25 which he wants to cut back to $2.13
3) The owner of the restaurant he cited as the source of the $100K income, disputes that he ever said anything like that.
4) The median income for servers in MN is $19,222/year
We fought this in MO a couple years back when restaurant owners tried to roll us back from $3.53 to $2.13. I have served and managed in states where they paid the minimum and where it was $2.13. The difference is at $7.25 people had enough money left over after taxes to be able to afford crappy employer offered health insurance.
I will shoot a link to the post and video later today. Thank you for jumping on this topic.
I absolutely abhor the practice of tampering with guests food but I'll make an exception in this case.
This man should be very, very afraid to ever eat in a restaurant again. What a maroon.
If there are servers at a restaurant called Eagle Street Grill in St. Paul making 100K a year I will EAT MY HAT.
What a jerk! I've worked in a state that pays waiters $2.13/hour, and I can tell you, it's hell. Managers watch you like a hawk to make sure you don't earn overtime, because they count on paying all the waiters almost nothing in their budget. I'd like to see him wait tables in a college town...ending his day dog tired and sore at one in the morning with less then $80 in his pocket after tipping out the runner, bus, and bar.
Going to write a letter...
This is insulting to all us servers. It sends a terrible message not only about the value of our labor but also about the value of hour time. Maybe there are waiters working at Jean-Gorges 6 nights a week who pull over 60,000 a year. Good for them. If this dickwad wants to lower the hourly wage, how about he makes sure waiters get their legally entitled but never delivered breaks?
What a tool.
unbelievable. So if you work for some supper club in Brainard (how's the fricassee? Real good! ya want some?). . .
you earn $100,000/year.
And it's BAD for servers to make six figures??? I thought Republicans LIKED rich people.
I'll call all my twin city friends & say please vote against doucheman.
Thank you for using the word "asshat." It never fails to make my day.
I just finished my post on the subject deconstructing the study he cites to back up his argument and pointing out that even the owner has denied saying anything about servers making $100k/ year. I also posted a video to help spread the word through viral means.
http://tipsfortips.wordpress.com/2010/07/10/fighting-for-the-server-wage/
For those interested, there is now a Facebook group for this:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=117&post=509&uid=136129366408389#!/group.php?gid=136129366408389
His personal contact information has been included, should anyone be interested.
Waiter wages are incredible! How can anyone live in NYC on minimum wage?!?!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tip_%28gratuity%29
The other states with minimum wage requirements are listed in the "North America > USA" part of this wiki entry.
It's quite interesting, btw.
here is what I have to say on this issues:
1. I sent him an email, and to try to assure it gets past the interns, I left out any direct insults, but informed him of my own experiences as a former server who was only paid 2.13/hr and couldn't make my bills after tax season. Now I regret that I did not mention that this was in a town where rent was dirt cheap because the town was already below the poverty level.
2. All servers in that state should vote this year. period. even if you don't vote on anyone else, vote for governor. The ratio of servers to restaurant owners HAS to be against him, but I know from experience that most servers don't normally vote.
3. He needs to have a press conference to retract his misquoting and possibly the entire argument, if he feels he will actually win this race.
4. thank you bitchy waiter for bringing this to our attention. I love reading your blog, and follow it almost religiously
We tend to pay the people who work the hardest, the least. If you work your ass off and take every other person's crap, you tend to get paid a lot less than say, the guy sitting in the office surfing the net in working hours. Same if your raising other people's kids, or teaching them things.
And then some lame-ass wants to change things because he think he knows something based on what other people have said. First, in a court of law, that would be hearsay, second they'd say 'proof please', other than your very trustworthy word of course.
Seriously, if people eat out that much that the waiters can take home 100k, then people should perhaps look at their eating habits, and what happens if there is another recession or something, may the price go up again? I don't think it will.
Nope. Some people don't think.
Word verification: Stsess, is this like stress being drunk?
I live in Minneapolis and I plan on going to the town meeting tom. that he is hosting. I plan on speaking my mind. Does anybody want me to anything? I guess the the owner of Eagle Street Grille is getting calls off the hook! People are going in and asking for applications. I guess one woman called and said she would never come back in because she's appalled. I'm sure there are alot of upset industry calling as well...
Just throwing it out here (haven't read other comments), BUT I'm pretty sure minimum server wage just went up to $5/hour in New York.
Maybe it's different in the city? But I'm in NY and that's what my bosses told me.
sent said asshat a friendly email... with some non-threatening advice to maybe go work in a restaurant and make tips for a living, and since he obviously enjoys eating so much but not the people who serve him to watch the movie Waiting.
I am from MN and have met Tom a few times and he is a solid guy. He knows me by name and I plan to vote for him. He was politically stupid to tackle a "problem" that wasn't a problem. But that doesn't make him a bad guy just because he seemed to step on your (sore) server toes.
The bottom line is servers get tips and should be exempt from the minimum wage laws. I don't expect the servers to grasp that concept. There is no need to explain how hard you work as to how you deserve this or that.
His concept is simple. Get the government out of our lives. The problem is many people want government in their lives when it helps them. The rich included.
But that actually might mean that you are on your own; that is what made America great (past tense).
I get the fact that servers work hard. I get the fact that people in China also work hard. So where is your outrage in an effort to help their concerns??
Everybody knows the Chinese make over 100k a day. They are the ones who are driving down that economy.
To RiseRealizeReform:
are you kidding me? Minnesota sucks dick. I have been there 3x and wanted to kill myself each time. It is a mosquito infested dump and I still don't understand how Malaria isn't killing everyone on sight. The mosquitos are more aggressive than a pitbull on a poodle, nothing (and yes I fucking mean NOTHING) to do except...Run from Tornadoes, Play Bingo, Playing Cards, Ice/Summer Fishing, Hunting and IceSkating. It is full of the nicest most ignorant people on the planet (including ALL of my husbands family)and made me decide I will NEVER go back again.
Now that I am done with my rant.
I emailed that fatfuck Emmer. Made it as polite as possible, but I got my point across.
Oodles.
My Letter to Emmer:
Mr. Emmer
I have read how you are engaged in restaurant warfare with the waitstaff in the service industry. I find this appalling that you want to reverse wages.
I waited tables for 12 years and can verify that your figures are distorted. out of the hundreds of people I worked with, I have met only ONE person who made close to 100k. I worked 30 hours per week while being a single mother and in my undergraduate and then graduate program and I can confirm (looking at my past taxes), I never made more than 40k per year with NO BENEFITS. What you also fail to realize is that over 80% of servers are single mothers and women in college. You are directly discriminating against them...how dare they make a living wage?! I proudly do not nor will ever live in Minnesotta especially after reading your platform. Find something useful to do such as creating a new recipe for Lutefisk.
Sincerely, Lisa
Emmers weasely suck-up response:
(I caught my eyes rolling into the back of my head)
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for contacting the campaign regarding restaurant workers and tips. We appreciate your questions, comments and feedback.
Tom Emmer has not proposed tip credit legislation that cuts anyone’s wages. During a tour of a local restaurant as part of the Freedom and Prosperity Project, Rep. Emmer heard from restaurant owners about the challenges they face growing jobs in this economy. A tip credit was suggested as a way to help Minnesota businesses stay competitive with other states (43 other states including all of Minnesota’s neighboring states have a tip credit).
Tom was asked if he supported the concept of a tip credit and he responded “yes.” There was no discussion of any detailed plan and certainly no discussion of lowering the current minimum wage for tipped employees from $7.25 to $2.13.
Tom was also asked by Bill Salisbury of the Pioneer Press if he supported lowering the minimum wage. He answered: “I don’t know that you could do that. I think you have to talk to these guys (business owners). That’s why it’s more in line with a tip credit that you have to be talking about. Plus, you know Bill, you have federal law you have to think about.”
In fact, the last time this issue was debated in the Minnesota legislature, the proposal was to simply keep tipped employees at the current minimum wage while other employees received a $1 per hour increase. Tom Emmer does not support lowering anyone’s wages, tipped or otherwise.
The owners of the restaurant Tom was visiting mentioned that some employees could earn as much as $100,000 in a good year. Tom repeated that number as an example to show how unnecessary the minimum wage is for some tipped workers.
Furthermore, Representative Emmer believes that tips are something between customers and wait staff. He has stated that the first $20,000 in tips for waiters and waitresses should not be tipped.
If you have any more questions, feel free to visit our web site www.emmerforgovernor.com
Thank you,
Team Emmer
"Tom, what is 2 plus 2?"
"Idk, but I LIKE BEER!!"
Post a Comment