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 Message 22474 of 22774 in Behind the Bar
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Subject: Re: Should the hourly wage a barback makes affect their tip out?
From: Chris Milligan
Posted: Thu Mar 17. 2011, 22:30 UTC
Followup to: "Re: Should the hourly wage a barback makes affect their tip out?"  by apetail  (Wed Mar 16. 2011, 20:49 UTC)
> > Hey all, I work in an average busy bar as a barback. My hourly pay 
> > 
> > from my employer is $10, and I usually receive a total tip out of 
> > 70-100(but never more than 100) dollars for an 8-9 hour shift with 
> > 
> > 3-4 bartenders working. On a recent shift I saw the total of the tips 
> > 
> > for the night was $1050. I know they tip out 6 security guards $10 
> > 
> > each, and tip out two cooks about $15 each. From this I received $100 
> > 
> > dollars, which is just about 10%. This kind of came as as shock to me 
> > 
> > because I was always under the impression I made 20%. I know there 
> > 
> > are plenty of suck a$$ barbacks out there, and they probably deserve 
> > 
> > 10%, but I come in 2 hours before the tenders, stock everything, fill 
> > 
> > ice, cut fruit, during the shift I pour as needed, change 5-10 kegs, 
> > 
> > never let anything run out, kick out the unruly patrons, tell the 
> > promo girls I'm in charge so the tenders can go on pouring away,I 
> > don't smoke so I don't take more than 1 break a night and clean up 
> > 
> > everything at the end of the night. So that rant is just to show I 
> > 
> > don't sit on my a$$ chatting with the cute girl while the bartender 
> > 
> > is digging through the ice bin looking for a lime wedge because they 
> > 
> > ran out and I'm no where to be found. ANYWAY, I brought it to the 
> > attention of the bartenders that I thought I deserved more than 10%, 
> > 
> > and they told me that because I make $10 an hour and they make $8.50 
> > 
> > and declare their tips that it is a fair figure. Any thoughts? 
> > Suggestions? Do I make more per hour than most barbacks? I've always 
> > 
> > thought the industry standard for my tip out was 20%, with plenty of 
> > 
> > wiggle room depending on performance, but as I look back there must 
> > 
> > have been plenty of nights where I made less than 10% and worked like 
> > 
> > a dog without even so much as a minute to take a piss. Any thoughts 
> > 
> > would be welcomed.
> 
> The strange distribution of wealth can be seen as a physical effect 
> and it is difficult to change 
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_exchange_models_of_markets).
> 
> An easy option for you is to become a bartender yourself. This 
> shouldn't be a problem if you are a good barback.
> 
> From my experience/viewpoint bartenders are higher in hierarchy 
> compared to barbacks. Justified or not, this is a reason why barbacks 
> may get a smaller share from the tips. 
> I don't believe it is strange that barbacks, on average, earn less. 
> There may be places where it is not the case and also there may be 
> examples of (bad) bartenders or (good) barbacks which show that 
> unequal splits are not fair. Outliers don't justify a change of the 
> average*.
> 
> Changing the practice of a certain payroll system is very difficult. 
> You are not just asking more money for yourself or, a more fair 
> system (the latter sounds very reasonable to ask). You are asking 
> others to lower their wage. You can never obtain this goal with logic 
> (which won't have effect) or with status (which you don't have). The 
> only way to score is by using an emotional appeal. For others to give 
> up some part of their wage they should feel the system is unjust.
> 
> BTW >$150 for a night barbacking doesn't sound bad. It may be heavy 
> work but it is also stupid work. You are easily replaceable. 
> 
> *If you search this forum you will get enough data about the common 
> practice of splitting tips or maybe some US (the only place where the 
> practice of tipping reaches the level of capitalism gone mad) based 
> webtender will post the data in this thread. 
> 
> "Question everything..."

That is quite a situation and Apetail and Beans both have great points.  Good 
barbacks work hard as it sound that you do.  They do a lot of menial labor for 
the bartenders.  Personally the barback I have right now is the BEST I have 
ever worked with in 20 years and I wouldnt know what to do without him, and 
his tips reflect that.

Look at your performance first..did you miss something?  was there something 
you said or did or didnt do?

Next, ask them what more could you do...willingness with follow up is key.

Also find out what the tip out should be....20% is 20%.  I wouldnt recommend 
confronting with justificational proof and willingness to reap the 
consequences., but if you work and hard and as good as you believe you should 
be compensated for it.

BTW, what the house pays you is not any concern to the bartenders.  You are 
discussing tips.

-- 
Chris 

www.santafebarman.com
http://blogs.forbes.com/chrismilligan/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1298351116


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