Quebec restaurant association calls for legalized tip sharing to attract workers
In the current economy, getting people to want to work in the restaurant industry can be a hard sell.
One of the job's perks is tips, but they don't go to everyone equally.
"The legislation is quite clear about who tip money belongs to," said Roger Costa, managing partner at Weinstein & Gavino's.
Under Quebec's Employment Standards Act, tip money goes to the servers, and the cash can't be shared with other employees like cooks unless staff agree.
The Quebec association that represents restaurants wants to change that and is lobbying the provincial government so tips can be more evenly shared to attract more back-of-house staff.
Costa says that while kitchen staff will be happy, it will be hard to convince servers who rely on the extra 15 per cent.
"If you take from Paul to pay Peter, well, you've upset Paul," said Costa.
On average, back-of-house staff make around 12 per cent less than servers even though they're paid a higher hourly wage.
Some restaurants, however, already share tips between front and back-of-house and say it's done little to fix their staffing shortages.
"There's inflation and a shortage of labour, and, every month, it seems to get more and more difficult for business owners," said Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) vice-president Francois Vincent.
The CFIB said the situation has only gotten worse over the summer, with 65 per cent of Quebec restaurants remaining short-staffed at 10 per cent higher than the national average.
"It is the sector that has the highest job vacancy rate and by far," said Vincent.
Costa said the answer is giving back-of-house staff a raise instead of pooling tips.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.