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A NUMBER OF activists gathered outside The Ivy restaurant yesterday evening to protest working conditions.
Issues at the restaurant first came to light in November last year when staff were told they will no longer be allowed process payments from customers after management alleged that some waiters were asking patrons to pay tips in cash, rather than on a credit card.
Management at the restaurant posted a staff notice to express disappointment that bad manners had been shown to guests by being “consistently asked for cash”. Management also claimed that the cash tips were not being shared with other staff members.
The notice said that a new system would mean no team member is ever to handle cash or card from a guest. Until trust was rebuilt, management would process all payments, the notice said.
In a video posted online yesterday, a ‘menu’ of alleged workplace issues was read aloud by an activist to customers and management in the restaurant.
Reading a list of issues aloud as diners continued with their meals around her, the woman told them good service was “not rewarded” at the restaurant.
Independent TD Joan Collins supported yesterday’s protest.
Raising the issue in the Dáil, Joan Collins TD said “I have been approached recently by workers in the new, swanky and expensive restaurant, The Ivy, where the company is taking the major proportion of tips paid to staff to make up the difference in their wages.”
The Ivy response
In a statement today, The Ivy said: “The Ivy collection would like to clarify that 100% of credit card tips are shared amongst the entire 150 staff members (excluding management).
“A gratuity per hour is paid to every staff member in addition to their contractual hourly wage and is guaranteed by the company in that any shortfall, regardless of whether any tips are paid by patrons, will be made up by the company.”
It said that “all cash tips are kept by the individual waiter/waitress, although they are encouraged to share these tips with their colleagues”.
“We believe that the credit card tips should be shared amongst the entire team (excluding management) reflecting everyone’s contribution to the service.
In a statement to Liveline in November, The Ivy explained that when a tip is paid by credit card, it goes towards a shared gratuity per hour that all restaurant staff – including front of house, bar staff and kitchen porters – receive.
The Ivy is located on Dawson Street in Dublin city centre.
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No one truly understands the heartbreak but the response of the community has been magnificent.
That special bond between this mother and daughter should be supported in every way possible.
It might help her if she decides to move away and make a new life with her baby, I can’t imagine how much it hurts to be in a place where they should be. Or help pay mortgage etc and not worry financially. No doubt she would give it back in a second to spend one more hour with them.
Ah she’s hardly going move anyway she still has lots family around , say that is very important
It’s heartwarming to see something positive coming from such an awful tragedy…..while nothing will take away their pain and grief hopefully it will at least give them one thing less to worry about for the moment
Money means nothing in a situation like this but fair play to all involved.
Of course not Shane but in the day’s and year’s ahead it will mean a lot. It would be nice for her to have no mortgage or rent to worry about, she’ll have enough to deal with. People want to help her and putting a few quid into an account for her is a way of doing it
It’s not about the money – it is a reflection on how many are/were willing to help you in your time of need. Collections were made by the local community for my own family tragedy and I often look back and cherish the memory that people were there to help. Fair play to all who donated. This story has affected people in all corners of the world- on the DM people from the UK and US were looking to donate also.
We cannot bring them back so this is just a way of sending support. Hard times ahead but hopefully this will help.
Love your surname Mary.
Ta Brian, it’s almost as good as your profile pic ;)
This is probably the worst tragedy I have ever heard of how is that women gonna cope with this when things settle down that’s the scary part
I know it’s too late for this poor family. I can’t stop thinking about them. Slipways at piers everywhere now should be gated off like in that photo so nothing like this can happen again. Very very sad and upsetting.
if ever a ‘go fund me’ was needed; this one is surely it
Glad to see people rallied around. The money won’t replace her family but it will cover their funerals and give her and her little girl some security for now. Such a terrible tragedy.
Woman
The headline says it could happen to anybody yet we don’t hear of people driving off slipways every day.
have your say