During COVID we all learned to show our appreciation for ‘essential
workers’, such as the cashiers at Papa Murphy’s, by checking the new Apple tip
boxes at checkout for 15,20 even 25%. Everything
in America became 30% more than the listed price, if you included tip and
taxes. We needed to take care of the
little guy and they were, literally, not making a ‘living’ wage during those
uncertain times. This was good and proper,
and it is fair that it has continued.
Unfortunately, Corporate America has embraced this and shifted
the burden of paying a living wage directly to the customer, bypassing the possible
negative effects on their profit margin.
Corporate Industrial Skiing has done the same thing; shift the employee wage
burden to the consumers while they take the money and run, under the allure of selling
millions of cheap passes that let us all ski for just $20-40 a day. We all
know the model.
And we all know that the proper solution is for the ski
corporations to share a bigger slice of the profit pie with their
employees. They made hundreds of million
dollars last year and ski school revenues are up at least 50%. But we know that
is not going to happen due to worker dedication and poor representation, so the
next time you hire someone for a day of instruction and care, guidance and
education, consider their economy. The hundred-dollar
ski school tip that seemed generous years ago, is de-minimis now, is less than
10% of the actual cost and is hardly a living wage. 15-20% would be more consistent with the
modern, trickle-down, tipping economy and 25% would send the real message of
appreciation that you intend, and all our resort workers deserve. Your largess is their living.
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