LOCAL STORY Spring WISH LIST THE LOGO OF A CHIPOTLE RESTAURANT IS SEEN IN GOLDEN, COLORADO. CREDIT: REUTERS/RICK WILKING NOT EVERYONE IN SERVICE INDUSTRY FAVORS LIVING WAGE MODEL BY DOUG HRDLICKA THE FINAL HOURS OF COVID-19 may be upon us – so it would seem with the restrictions being lifted. The joyful idea of the pandemic coming to an end starkly contrasts the call for social distancing and mask-wearing because others may be a threat to us, and we may be a threat to them. But of all the doom and gloom that is present now, as restaurants and bars begin to fully open, is that service industry workers are hesitant to return. In the Facebook group Stupid Questions in the Service Industry, which has more than 16 thousand members, the answer to the hesitancy was varied. In some instances, people used this past year as an opportunity to pursue career ambitions outside the service industry, but among the top reasons are low pay and rude customers. The minimum for a tipped employee is $9.30 across Colorado; the remainder relies on the generosity of the guests. That being the case, jobs in the service industry have been less than gainful this past year, and members of the Facebook service industry group report the attitudes of guests being far more egregious. Some establishments, however, have abolished tips in favor of a salary – the most recent being Chipotle. Starting June 1, the company began paying a minimum wage of $15 per hour in addition to incentives such as education, referral bonuses, and a pathway towards management positions that pay an annual salary of $100,000. “Chipotle is committed to providing industry-leading benefits and accelerated growth opportunities, and we hope to attract even more talent by showcasing the potential income that can be achieved in a few short years,” the company wrote in a newsletter. The decision for a company to pay a salary to its employees is not unique to Chipotle. During the spring of last year Amethyst Coffee, which has three locations in the Denver metro area, also abolished the tips system and began paying their employees $50,000 per year. “We cannot keep relying on tips to pay people a living wage in cities that only get more and more expensive like Denver,” Winn Deburlo with Amethyst Coffee said last year. The move drew national attention and garnered praise from community members and worker advocates. Some, however, disapproved because the wage hike was being passed on to the customers through the price of coffee. The Colorado Restaurant Association added to that by noting employees stand to gain more from a tips system over a salary. Sonya Riggs, the CEO and president of CRA cited Union Square Hospitality Group’s attempt at salary as a cautionary tale. “When Union Square Hospitality Group moved away from tipping, they reported that 40% of their best servers quit,” Riggs said in a letter. “We’ve also heard from some local restaurant groups who have moved away from the traditional tipping model that they lost upwards of 80% of their front-ofhouse staff, who left to work at restaurants operating under traditional tip models.” In the same letter, Riggs, also confirmed the difficulty restaurants are having with finding workers. Small business owners shared similar struggles in the Stupid Questions Facebook group. Many insisted upon wanting to be able to pay workers more, but with the rise in food cost and PPE, they simply didn’t have the revenue. “Restaurants across the state have shared with us that they are struggling to hire enough workers to meet the current demand from diners as patio season gets underway and capacity restrictions ease or are eliminated,” said Riggs. The truth of the matter has yet to be unveiled, though. As of right now, restrictions remain in place, and many people are still receiving pandemic unemployment. But if cases remain low, we may return to normal before summer even begins. “It’s time to say goodbye to capacity limits and distancing requirements,” said Mayor Michael Hancock in a post on his Facebook page, “and for those of us who are vaccinated, time to remove our masks in most circumstances.” ■ DENVERVOICE.ORG/VENDOR-NEEDS Drop-offs are accepted Mon, Weds, Fri., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., or schedule a drop-off by emailing program@denvervoice.org. June 2021 DENVER VOICE 5 NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Socks Reusable water bottles Sunscreen, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick Paper products for the office GENTLY USED ITEMS NEEDED: Flat screen TV Backpacks Umbrellas that can fit into a backpack Ball caps/hats for warm weather Gloves Panchos & windbreakers (Men’s L, XL, XXL)
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