- Target:
- Dalton Mcguinty
- Region:
- Canada
Thanks to everyone who signed and supported this petition. Unfortunately as you are all aware legislature was prorogued by Mr. Mcguinty, in his preparation to step down as premier. Rest assured that the petition was sent out personally addressed to every member of parliament, and will again be sent to Mrs. Wynne to remind her of the importance of having this signed into law.
Among the respondents to the petition was Labor Minister Linda Jeffery, with the following correspondence:
Thank you for your correspondence regarding the distribution of tips and gratuities and informing me about the petition addressed to Premier Dalton McGuinty. I’ve reviewed the petition you sent, which at the time contained 237 signatures. I greatly appreciate your efforts to bring this to my attention, and to the attention of your fellow Ontarians.
Maintaining a fair and balanced relationship between employers and employees in all industries, including the restaurant and hospitality industry, is very important to our government. Servers, bartenders and other hospitality staff work hard to earn a decent living, and they deserve to be treated fairly by their employers.
The Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) provides minimum standards of employment, and sets out the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees in Ontario workplaces. Although the ESA requires employers to pay employees all wages earned, it does not address how tips and gratuities are distributed. It neither requires nor prohibits the sharing of tips and gratuities between employees, or with an employer. As a result, the manner in which tips are divided is generally determined between individual employers and employees.
Private Member’s Bill 107, the Protecting Employees’ Tips Act, 2012, was introduced in June of this year. The session of the Ontario legislature ended on October 15, 2012, and as a result Bill 107 cannot proceed any further in the legislature at this time. However, we are examining the proposed bill closely to determine how it would affect all hospitality workers in Ontario, and how we might be able to address the issue of tips and gratuities in a way that is fair to all employees. I’ve asked Mr. Michael Prue to work with me to review these matters together.
I do have some concerns about Bill 107 as written but that does not mean a good solution cannot be found. Please be assured that your comments will be taken into account as we examine and study this very important issue.
Thank you again for writing.
Sincerely,
[Original signed by]
Linda Jeffrey
Minister of Labour
End.
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Hopefully this is a harbinger of change for us all, and I encourage you to write to Mrs Wynne yourselves to let her know that despite the parliament being let out, we all feel passionately about the next incarnation of the bill being passed. To that end you will find email links to her office at the end of this message.
Cheers to everyone! and Thanks again!
Sean.
INFO:
Kathleen Wynne
Email: kwynne.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Phone: 416-425-6777
Fax: 416-425-0350
Bill 107, also know as " Protecting Employees' Tips Act, 2012 " has recently passed it's first reading in the House of Commons. Tabled by New Democrat MP Michael Prue, this bill makes the act of employers taking a share of their employees' gratuities illegal.
Too long have bartenders and servers had to pay out tips earned from their own hard work to the " house ", with their only choices being to agree to do so, or to quickly become unemployed.
This is tantamount to stealing, and this bill aims to correct that. Further information can be found at the following link, including contact information for your local MPP if you wish to write a personal letter of support on it's behalf.
Take back our tips!
Dear Mr. Mcguinty,
We, the undersigned, would like your party's full support of Bill 107, Protecting Emplyees' Tips Act, 2012.
The act of employers taking a percentage of gratuities earned through our own hard work is in our opinion at best unethical, and more akin to legalized thievery. There are thousands of hospitality workers affected by this every day in Ontario, who's only recourse is to either agree to do so, or to become quickly unemployed. We believe it is our governments job to protect their constituents against such unabashed abuse, and as such request your support in the termination of such questionable business practices.
Please Mr. Premier, Support Bill 107.
The Support Bill 107 - Protecting Employees' Tips Act petition to Dalton Mcguinty was written by Anonymous and is in the category Employment at GoPetition.