Local Watford MP Dean Russell met with The Minister for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Paul Scully in Watford to talk with local business owners and their staff teams about the Tips Bills. Dean proudly led this campaign and had confirmation that the government would include worker's rights for tips in the Employment Bill.
The purpose of the Tips Bill was to ensure that workers have the rights to keep the tips that they are given by customers by formalising this requirement in law. This would be in the form of an agreement for staff to keep the tips meant directly for them, or to have agreements in place to ensure that tips are divided fairly. For example, staff at restaurants may agree that tips should also be allocated across all staff, including hard working kitchen team members.
This is a huge win for hospitality workers across the UK and Dean invited the Minister to Watford to discuss this important upcoming legislation, and also meet other Watford based businesses including Rhubarb Cafe, The Essex Arms, Cassiobury Pharmacy, Refill Abell and Rossco Fruit and Vegetables.
Dean said, "A number of conversations surrounded the Tips Bill which I introduced to Parliament which will now ensure that workers rightfully receive the tips they are given by customers for good service. Prior to the Tips Bill, I spoke to a wide range of customers of restaurants, cafes and bars who always thought that their tips went directly to the member of staff serving them. Sadly that wasn't always the case as some of the businesses kept more or even all of the tips as part of the payment for the service. I am delighted that my Tips Bill has meant government has agreed to ensure staff team can retain the tips in law.
"I am very grateful to the Minister for coming to Watford and spending so much time talking to local businesses. These shops and businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and have gone above and beyond during the pandemic offering excellent services to residents living in Watford."
Paul Scully added “There are a number of staff, unlike the people here in Rhubarb, who don't get to keep all of their Tips. We want to make sure that everybody gets that opportunity. So we're making it a legal requirement for those tips not to be just taken by the management, but to be distributed so that staff can keep far more of the tips”
Dean was joined by Watford Borough Candidate for Park ward Linda Topping and Mayoral candidate Binita Mehta-Parmar. Binita said, "We are blessed to have fantastic local businesses in Watford. It was a pleasure to spend the day meeting business owners, staff and customers across Watford with our local MP and the Minister for Small Business to understand the challenges and opportunities. Backing local businesses is one of my key pledges in my campaign to become our next Mayor. Business runs through my blood, given my family run community pharmacies across Watford, one of which Dean and Paul saw in action. I pledge to improve parking, for customers to have an equal choice to shop at independent shops on our parades instead of relying on online shopping, which will help our businesses to flourish. As Mayor I would continue to back our small business, so they don’t just survive but thrive.”
The Employment Bill will form part of a package of measures, which will include The Tips Bill, and is expected to be introduced later this year.
