HALIFAX: It’s the middle of patio season and Nova Scotians and tourists are filling restaurants across the province.
Summer is a busy time for service industry workers who rely on tips and gratuities to get by, but customers may not know where their tips are going.
“When customers leave a tip, they expect it will go to the person serving them. But that doesn’t always happen because there is no legislation to ensure workers can keep their tips and gratuities,” said NSNDP leader Claudia Chender.
“Most service industry workers like servers, bartenders and cooks make below a living wage and rely on tips to survive.”
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The NSNDP introduced legislation in both 2018 and 2023 to ban tip theft.
The Houston government has not moved ahead on this issue.
The Workers’ Action Centre in Halifax conducted a survey which found that about half of respondents depended on tips to make ends meet, and nearly three-quarters have had some experience with tip theft.
“You’re getting that tip because you’ve been working hard, you’re working long hours, you’re doing a good job,” WAC community organizer Noah Enns.
“Especially when things have gotten so expensive, these tips are what’s allowing people to make ends meet and pay their bills on time.
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“We’re the only province in Atlantic Canada without legislation targeting tip theft,” added Enns. “Clearly, there isn’t the political will to close that gap, and it’s a huge oversight.”
The NSNDP is committed to improving conditions for workers.
The caucus has also introduced legislation to ban scab labour during strikes and lockouts and implement 10 permanent paid sick days for all Nova Scotians.
