i was watching the late late show

with craig ferguson this morning and he was interviewing a columnist from cleveland. i was mighty impressed. she talked of people who were in the service industry who weren't allowed to keep all of their tips and in some cases NONE of their tips. she talked of the people who push wheelchairs in airports being paid LESS than minimum wage and having to depend upon tips (who thinks of that???) she talked about an immigrant to this country from el salvador who joined the service because he wanted to honor his new country and is being shipped to iraq (she commented on who was currently serving in our armed forces and who was NOT currently serving in our armed forces. once again i add, SEND THOSE BUSH-WACKED TWINS OVER {when they are finished cleaning up the gulf coast that is})

connie schultz

Workers' low pay outrages readers

Monday, August 01, 2005
Connie Schultz
Plain Dealer Columnist
Most of you had no idea.

That is the most common re frain so far among thousands of reader phone messages and e-mails from around the country responding to the news that Continental Airline's wheelchair assistants and electric-cart drivers are not paid the minimum wage:

"I had no idea."

Continental subcontracts with Flight Services and Systems Inc. to pay only $3.50 an hour to wheelchair assistants at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport; electric-cart drivers earn $4.50. FSS tells them they have to make up the rest in tips but warns that they will be reprimanded if they're caught soliciting tips from passengers.

FSS spokesman Mark Nichols said that 70 percent of passengers know to tip. If reader response is any indicator, he is dead wrong. And that's one of the kinder assessments offered by readers, who expressed anger and shock at the meager wages. Many also said they were ashamed and embarrassed because they haven't tipped in the past.

One man's message reflected the sentiment of so many:

"I've used those services so many times for friends from church and my own mother, and I never, ever tipped them. I'm a generous tipper, usually 20 to 30 percent. I didn't know they don't make a living wage and must rely on tips. I feel just terrible about this. I owe those people a lot of money."...............