The dignity of honest work

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“NO TIPS ALLOWED”
SUGGESTION OF THE STEWARDS
FOR EMBODIMENT IN AWARD.

During his submission of the case of the Cooks and Stewards’ Federation in their dispute with the Union Shipping Company, Mr. E. J. Carey stated to the Arbitration Court to-day that the men desired that the practice of tipping should cease. The claims of the men were 32 shillings [£1.12.0] per week for second-class stewards and 37 shillings [£1.17.0] for first-class stewards and the abolition of tips. If the Court would make this award the stewards would do their utmost to arrange for the abolition of tips.

They did not want to beg for payment for the work they did. They would agree to have the boats placarded “No tips allowed,” and they would agree to instant dismissal in the case of a steward taking tips; the company could endorse its ticket “steward included.” The men were even prepared to have it made a breach of the award for a steward to take a tip. The federation would do all possible to cooperate with the Court, the Union Company, and the public, to save their dignity as workers, and to ensure their being placed on the same footing as firemen, sailors, and other workers.

WAHINE 1913 - 1951 https://www.nzshipmarine.com/nodes/view/160#idx42

New Zealand Ship and Marine Society (12th Jul 2018). WAHINE 1913 – 1951. In Website New Zealand Ship and Marine Society. Retrieved 8th Aug 2019 16:48, from https://www.nzshipmarine.com/nodes/view/160

The tipping system, said Mr. Carey, had been forced upon them by the Court, because they could not pay house rent on their present wages. It was idle to say the tipping system could not be stopped; there was the example of the railways. If the Court, in its award, said that tips were still to be taken into consideration when framing the minimum wage for stewards, it practically ordered and instructed that the general public should pay part of the wages of the men. On the intercolonial boats the labour union had stopped the practice, and they had endeavoured to stop it on the coast.
Evening Post, [Wellington, N.Z.] 29 April 1915.

NAVUA 1904-1926 https://www.nzshipmarine.com/nodes/view/823#idx676

New Zealand Ship and Marine Society (23rd Jun 2018). NAVUA 1904-1926. In Website New Zealand Ship and Marine Society. Retrieved 8th Aug 2019 16:57, from https://www.nzshipmarine.com/nodes/view/823

 

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