Donegal Sinn Féin Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has criticised Fine Gael for their “shameful” decision to again vote against his party’s Protection of Employee Tips Bill.
The Bill seeks to give workers a legal right to the tips that they earn and also require employers to display their tipping policy to ensure transparency for customers and staff.
By voting against it, Senator MacLochlainn accused Fine Gael of “attempting to deny workers a legal right to the tips that they earn.”
Speaking following the passing of the Dáil vote, Senator Mac Lochlainn said: “Fine Gael are the only party who have voted against this Bill however, not content on simply opposing the Bill they now intend on going a step further in seeking to block the Bill from moving ahead through the imposition of a Money Message.
“This is a typical tactic used by Fine Gael to block opposition legislation from moving through the legislative process. The only message this sends out to workers in this State is that Fine Gael do not believe that they have any right to the tips that they earn.
“Tips should go to workers and workers alone. This is the view of the majority of the Seanad and the Dáil and I believe the view of the public in general.
“Sinn Féin will continue working with the trade union movement and others in progressing this Bill. Workers deserve nothing less.”
Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty said she was opposing the Bill because it is “fundamentally flawed.”
Minister Doherty expressed concerns that the Bill would result in tips being taxed under the PAYE system, resulting in lower take-home pay for workers. She also said the Bill would have negative implications for on workers’ entitlements to social welfare supports.
Instead, Minister Doherty said that she intends to amend the Payment of Wages Act 1991 to ensure tips and gratuities cannot be used to make up a person’s wages and to force employers to display their policy on how tips, gratuities and service charges are distributed.
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