So my tips are two weeks behind now. All I did was ask for them, I was told that because the owner isn't there they're not being done, then she said something like “are we happy with that” I paused for a while before she chimed in again with “is that alright” I sighed and said “uh, yeah fine.”
Then she had to carry on. Had this little speach about tips being a bonus and shit, then ended it with “are you happy with that?”
So I say “look, I'm not kicking up a fuss; but no, I'm not happy about it.
So she says “are you serious right now!?”
So I said we're talking about my money here, im finding out last minute and she interrupts telling me that i was told on the group chat (have checked since. I wasn't. ) and goes on about how good of a boss the owner is (and he really is) then adds that I could be paying taxes on my tips.
Now, I'm missing some of her speaches, because she called tips a bonus no less than four times before this point, and I was trying to keep her calm so I didn't pull her up on it. But the part about taxes made the point clear to me that how our tips are done isn't above board, and if I happen to say I'm not receiving tips to the appropriate authorities, they're going to be audited, and they'll find that apparently tips aren't recieved at the restaurant that I work at and never have been. If the staff were the ones receiving the tips in their pocket, arguably that's their fault for not paying tax on it, but that isn't the case. They all go through the restaurant and come back to us through them. We never know the count and we dont know other departments cuts.
I had enough of humouring the idea that tips are a bonus and clearly she had too much wine (2/3 of a bottle of prosecco at least) and was just shitting on me for fun.
So I said “tips arent a bonus, I've earned them and I'm entitled to them”
She says “well a lot of places don't give tips at all”
Me: “and if I ever worked for one, I'd report them”
Wish I'd mentioned that I've been in the industry longer than the old bat, I've worked at dozens of places other than literally the only one ever she has, (current one) and have always learned from the best I could find, and I've managed more bartenders on a single shift for a hotel than our entire restaurant has in staff, total. But I'm not quick enough and didn't think of all that.
She then says “well you should be paying taxes on your tips as well” again. I'm so glad she said this a second time because I'd thought of the perfect response. “Wait! Am I not?” (I honestly couldn't give a fuck)
Hard to recall exactly, but I never raised my voice, she didn't shout, but did get loud if that makes sense. The owner is a nice guy, for example I have only had 30 hour weeks so far, (started a month ago) but he's working on getting me 40 like I want, while he's on holiday and we're closed weekdays, he's got me rotad for 40 hour weeks, this week I'm being paid for 17.5 hours that im not working. With that in mind, I would never actually do anything to harm his business, and would like him to understand that, and that this woman just put his arse in danger.
Not sure the smartest way to play it right now, thinking keep notes for when he gets back, but the woman that's an issue is a long time friend of the owner. Also I didn't mention that between her and one bartender, I've been getting shit detail. Barrels need moving down stairs once a week, I've worked there for a month and done it four times. Same with moving wine down there and a few other minor things, but literally, if it's a thing a person wouldn't want to do, it's on me. Multiple staff members have commented on it, as well as all but one bartender always sitting on their arse at the end of the night leaving me to close on my own. This only happens with the supervisor this post is about being the acting manager.
Feel like I'm missing something but this is dragging on, may edit to update from here.
Edit 1: I'm in the UK.