Raising Service Wages...is 2.13 really enough?

Are you tired of depending on the financially strapped public to support your family? Are you tired of being paid $2.13 only to be talked down to and left to clean up a huge mess for a sad sad sad pile of change left behind on the table? Servers are dealing with this all over America. We are working our behinds off not only for people who do not respect us, but also with no hope of a raise. Dispite the recent raises in minimum wage the baseline service rate of $2.13 has remained the same for over a decade. For those of you who are not aware of what this means to the serving community let me explain. If you are making 2.13/hour and minimum wage is $6.15 then at the end of your shift you must take the difference<$4.02> multiply that by the hours you have worked, and claim that amount at the end of the shift. The government then taxes that amount and you're basically left with anywhere from a $3.00 - $30.00 paycheck every 2 weeks.  Not only that but at the end of the year when good ole American Tax time comes around the IRS claims that as a server you have not been honest and claimed enough to meet their standards. They then alocate your tips and reduce your refund.  As a result you end up making below minimum wage. And now with the price of gas along with everything else raising not only are people not going out to eat as much, but when they do they are tipping less and less. How does the government expect us to live on such low rates of pay? How do we get them to stand up and take notice. Unfortunately I do not have the answer for that, I have called my the labor board, I have written my local paper, I do not know whatelse to do, but this is a start. If you are not a server read this carefully I bet you'll find out quite a bit that you didn't know. And if you are then you know exactly where I'm coming from.  Make a difference, take a stand. Single mothers, college students, and women and men who have been in the service industry for 20 years need to see some change. Let's make this happen!

If I may take a moment to tell a personal story about a women who I currently work with.  This lady has been a devoted employee of our local resturant since the 1980's, not only has she not seen a raise in the $2.13, but her personal raises only equal to about $4.00.  $4.00/hr AFTER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE! How is that possible? How is that fair?