SolidariTip: Supporting hospitality and delivery workers organizing
Today, delivery drivers in Berlin are going on strike. They have my full support. On that occasion I'd like to write down an idea I've had.
I have no first-hand experience in hospitality or as a delivery driver. I do sometimes order food in restaurants or to be delievered and when I do, I often give a tip. However when I tip – especially in interactions with people I believe are not paid very well, gig workers or in precarious employment – I always feel a bit uncomfortable, like the tip is a form of charity perpetuating a system of exploitation. I prefer workers to be able to collectively negotiate a good wage and proper working conditions with their employers instead of being dependent on the whims of customers to supplement their wages. But to achieve this, they need to organize, and this seems difficult especially in atomized working environments.
So here's an idea I had: The SolidariTip. It could work in slightly different ways. Instead of (or in addition to) a normal tip we could:
- Give an extra tip for union members.
- Give a voucher or discount code for the union membership fee.
- Donate to their union's strike fund.
Depending on the setup, it would need institutional buy-in from the union itself (e.g. by offering vouchers or accepting strike fund donations).
The goal is to encourage workers to unionize and to promote the idea of collective action. I also see it as a form of solidarity between workers in different industries.
What do you think about this idea? I'd love to get feedback!