groups of the AFL-CIO, including the A. Philip Randolph Institute, Asian Pacific American Labor
Alliance, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Coalition of Labor Union Women, Labor Council for
Latin American Advancement, and Pride at Work, issued the following statement on the
Department of Labor (DOL)'s proposed "tip theft" rule that shifts the ownership of tips from
workers to employers.
"This proposed rule to steal hard-earned tips from the pockets of restaurant workers is utterly
despicable. Instead of affirming that tips are the property of workers, the Trump administration is
championing corporate greed and acting as an extension for the National Restaurant
Association.
With tip theft already a common occurrence in the restaurant industry, the legalization to shift
ownership of tips to employers is another example of working people being robbed of what they
are due. Trickle down policies, such as this proposed rule, will maintain the status quo and
wedge an even larger gap between the richest and the poorest.
If enacted, workers will lose an estimated $5.8 billion in tips, with 80% of that coming from
women workers. With women and workers of color comprising the lowest paid segments of the
industry, this rule would disproportionately impact the most vulnerable and feed into a cycle of
poverty and economic instability.
We are committed to advocating for the rights of workers in all industries and to fighting against
greedy policies that fuel into the systematic oppression of people of color, women, and LGBTQ
workers. We demand that the Department of Labor withdraw this disgusting ‘tip theft’ rule
immediately and call on it to do its job: to fight for workers, not employers."
To submit your own story and/or comments to the Department of Labor on the proposed rule,
click here.
###
About The Labor Coalition for Community Action (LCCA) - The AFL-CIO’s constituency groups – the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, and Pride at Work are unions’ bridges to diverse communities, creating and strengthening partnerships to enhance the standard of living for all workers. The groups also promote the full participation of women and minorities in the union movement and ensure unions hear and respond to the concerns of the communities they represent.
afl-cio_constituency_groups_demand_dol_withdraw_proposed_tip_theft_rule.pdf |