Tipping should be an honest and transparent transaction.

Mayor of Galway, and Labour spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr. Niall McNelis has been supporting the ONE Galway “My Tip, My Reward” campaign. Significant numbers of workers in the food service industry do not receive the tips which customers leave for them, a practice which needs to come to an end.

Commenting on the campaign, Mayor McNelis said:

“Working in the hospitality industry is a low paid and insecure industry. If we want to attract more into this industry and also keep the great staff we have, then this will need to be addressed, but in short-term the least we can do is make sure tips go to the workers, where the workers can distribute it fairly amongst themselves.

“These additions to workers take-home pay are even more crucial at this, the most expensive time of year for most. Tipping needs to be fair, it needs to be transparent and it should be an honest transaction.

“I am glad that a number of workplaces in Galway are supporting the campaign and recognise that tips belong to the workers. Hopefully, this campaign will encourage more to do the same.

“ONE Galway is calling for Tips to be fair and transparent, so that customers know that when they a give a tip, staff receives a fair share of it. I am proud to support this campaign in Galway and would like to see it extend across the country.

“This issue also serves as a timely reminder that our, minimum wage is an inadequate rate of pay which is why we in the Labour Party support increasing the minimum wage to the Living Wage of €11.45 p/h.”