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
4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
Man ticketed after allegedly trespassing again at Drake's Bridle Path mansion to get his bike
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
Switzerland's Nemo wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest
Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with 'The Code,' an operatic ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing their nongender identity.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.