A TikTok video uploaded by bartender Aaliyah Cortez has gone viral, shedding light on the unfair wages and reliance on tips in the service industry. In the video, Cortez displays her paycheck, revealing that she worked 70 hours and was paid $2.13 an hour, the federal minimum wage for tipped workers. After federal taxes, social security, and Medicare deductions, her paycheck amounted to just $9.28. Cortez stressed that while she did receive tips, her hourly wage was barely enough to cover her taxes, let alone her living expenses.
The video has sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for fairer wages and an end to the tipping system, which puts the burden of paying service workers on the customers. Cortez’s message is clear: if you want to support service workers, always remember to tip generously.
Cortez’s post has received more than 99,000 likes and 3,058 comments.
Aaliyah Cortez, a bartender in Texas, posted a TikTok video showing her paycheck and explaining how the service industry pays their employees. The video has gone viral and sparked outrage on social media, as Cortez revealed she worked 70 hours and was paid only $9.28 after taxes, due to the low hourly wage of $2.13 for tipped employees. Cortez later spoke to BuzzFeed and said she wanted to inform the public about the importance of tipping and shed light on the issue of unfair wages in the service industry. She also noted that not everyone tips well or at all, despite some people assuming service industry workers make a lot of money from tips.
In response to comments on her TikTok video, Cortez acknowledged that the tipping system is flawed and said she would like to see a change in who pays service industry wages. Ideally, she believes employers should pay fair wages instead of relying on customers’ generosity. However, until this happens, service industry workers are left to depend on tips to make a living wage. Cortez’s video highlights the precarious situation of many service industry workers who rely on tips and struggle to make ends meet.
Cortez’s video has sparked a conversation about the need for fair wages and the importance of tipping in the service industry. Many people have expressed their support for service industry workers, while others have criticized the tipping system for putting the burden of paying employees on customers.
Despite the mixed reactions, Cortez posted a follow-up video thanking people for watching and listening to her message. She expressed gratitude to her viewers for helping to shed light on the issue and for their support. The video serves as a reminder that service industry workers are an essential part of our society, and they deserve fair wages and respect for the important work they do.