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Bajahowodd
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Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Living The Good Life?
I recently read an article from the October 10th edition of the Gringo Gazette that managed to both sadden and anger me. Inasmuch as I do not
subscribe to the on line edition of Gringo Gazette, I will recount the highlights (lowlights).
The article dealt with the plight of hotels maids specifically, but the subject also applies to many other workers at the luxury hotels one finds in
the Los Cabos area, such as waitstaff and bellmen.
It seems that most, but not all hotels engage these workers on 28 day contracts, which they renew subject to performance. By using these temporary
contracts. the employers avoid having to pay any benefits, including making payments into the Mexican version of Social Security.
In addition, most of these same hotels add a service charge onto the daily charges in the range of $4-$5 per day. So, in effect even though you might
already be paying anywhere from $150-$500 per day for your room, you are, in effect paying more than the daily wage of the workers in the resort with
the added service charge.
A hotel maid typically is assigned about 13 rooms to clean per day. Thus, the service charge obtained for 13 rooms pays the hotel something between
$52 to $65 per day. That maid, in accordance with the Baja region minimum wage earns $5.60 per day.
Coincidentally, a couple of days after reading this article, I engaged a waitress in a conversation while attending a function at the convention
center on the grounds of the Sheraton Hotel.
I started to conversation by inquiring if she was ill or tired, as she was leaning on the wall at the time. The conversation evolved into a discussion
that paralleled the article I was quoting.
I don't know how much she may have embellished her conversation, but she did tell me that she was very tired, as she had to work long hours, and
claimed that under her contract, she could earn no additional pay for extra time.
She mentioned that she had lost a very good job that she held for 9 years at an upscale in-town restaurant when it closed for lack of business. She
was the cashier there and claimed she earned a good living as a company employee. She didn't mention the name of the restaurant, but some hints led me
to consider that it may have been La Casa Country, which by my calculations was in business about 9 years.
And, for anyone who has familiarity with the Sheraton property, she told me that the waiters in their two upscale restaurants, Pithayas, and De Cortez
were the only people among the waitstaff, maids, bell staff, Etc. who were employees of Sheraton. Everyone else is on a 28 day contract.
One last note. She told me that the waitstaff, if asked by a guest, if the tip is included, when being served a drink, or whatever, they are to
respond in the affirmative or risk being terminated.
So, fundamentally, not only are the resort hotel adding a daily service charge to the quoted room rate, but they are also suppressing the ability for
the workers to obtain additional tips.
As I mentioned, I cannot vouch for complete accuracy in what this waitress told me, but it certainly tends to support much of what the GG article
stated.
Enjoy your vacation!
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sancho
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
That maid, in accordance with the Baja region minimum wage earns $5.60 per day.
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I'm not a Resort Hotel vacationer, but that wage
is something that will stay on my conscience.
I suppose the Tourist Industry does support
some locals, but sometimes not to the degree any Tourist
should be proud of
and these resorts charge what, maybe $7+ for a poolside fruit c-cktail, but according to Wingnut they don't
make jack?????
[Edited on 10-31-2011 by sancho]
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BajaBlanca
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hard to live on that low of a salary ....
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norte
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And how many gringo's or Nomads have stated that they financially support Baja. I guess maybe they support the wealthy few!
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MitchMan
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Two words: collective bargaining.
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Woooosh
Banned
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBlanca
hard to live on that low of a salary .... |
almost all of Mexico does. 
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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krafty
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We have stayed at these places just a handful of times, and we always tip the maids on a daily basis.
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Phil S
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I've been told that as long as there are more unemployed workers who will work for slave wages, there will always be 'slave workers'. Anyone know the
unemployment rate in Cabo & San Jose del Cabo now that tourism has fallen something like 37%???
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mtgoat666
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Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
.. the plight of hotels maids specifically, but the subject also applies to many other workers at the luxury hotels one finds in the Los Cabos area,
such as waitstaff and bellmen.
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#Occupy-Cabo!
the excesses of capitalism are world-wide.
shame on Sheraton,... but is to be expected.
Perhaps Paris Hilton will take up the cause of oppressed maids in her family's hotels?
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desertcpl
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Location: yuma,az
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I think its disgusting, I also am not a Resort person, but we all know that the costs of going to places like Cabo is very expensive, room rates,
meals, drinks and about anything else
I feel really sorry for these workers, there is no reason in the world why they cant make a decent living,
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MitchMan
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Registered: 3-9-2009
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Glad to see that many here are horrified and appalled at the insanely low income of the hotel maids in Cabo which are due in large part to the legal
abuse (28 day employment contracts and super low minimum wage) and the bullying policy of being fired if accepting a tip and prevailing employment
market that the maids find themselves in.
I can see that some here are raising an eyebrow at the disparity of high prices of accomodations and services in Cabo, yet labor is so dirt cheap
while the principle (or principal, either will work here) expense of the serivce industry is labor itself.
Something that most people do not understand about a market economy is that there is no guarantee that the forces of supply and demand in any way
guarantee a livable wage in Cabo or in the USA. Also, most people do not understand that in the classic economics of a market economy that cost and
price of a given product or service most often do not have a direct relationship. That is, just because a product or service is cheap to produce
doesn't mean that the price will be low also. Cost and price are often not connected and do not correlate. Price is determined by the market, not by
the cost.
Finally, the other thing that most people do not realize is that a market economy always yields a disparity in income and wealth. That is the nature
of a market economy. Always has been. We just become horrified when we all too seldomly learn instances of specific circumstances.... like this one.
If we were to open our eyes more, we would see many more instances all around us.
[Edited on 10-28-2011 by MitchMan]
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Phil S
I've been told that as long as there are more unemployed workers who will work for slave wages, there will always be 'slave workers'. Anyone know the
unemployment rate in Cabo & San Jose del Cabo now that tourism has fallen something like 37%??? |
I recently read that the Los Cabos area occupancy rate is up somewhat from its low. Now in the low 60's% area. But, it is very uneven, with some
resorts doing almost full house business, while others are sucking wind.
As for Krafty's comment, one insidious result of the service charge is that these resort operators originally implemented the service charge under the
guise that too many guests were stiffing their workers.
If you happen to be staying at a resort hotel, if you really want to ensure that a hard working maid or waiter really gets rewarded for good service,
pay them directly in cash.
Just for informational purposes, check this exhibit out.
http://www.wageindicator.org/main/minimum-wages/mexico
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jakecard
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These numbers put a lot of things into perspective.
http://www.wageindicator.org/main/minimum-wages/mexico
Thank you, Bajahowodd.
Jake
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
| Quote: | Originally posted by Phil S
I've been told that as long as there are more unemployed workers who will work for slave wages, there will always be 'slave workers'. Anyone know the
unemployment rate in Cabo & San Jose del Cabo now that tourism has fallen something like 37%??? |
I recently read that the Los Cabos area occupancy rate is up somewhat from its low. Now in the low 60's% area. But, it is very uneven, with some
resorts doing almost full house business, while others are sucking wind.
As for Krafty's comment, one insidious result of the service charge is that these resort operators originally implemented the service charge under the
guise that too many guests were stiffing their workers.
If you happen to be staying at a resort hotel, if you really want to ensure that a hard working maid or waiter really gets rewarded for good service,
pay them directly in cash.
Just for informational purposes, check this exhibit out.
http://www.wageindicator.org/main/minimum-wages/mexico |
My brother-in-law, who has owned several hotels in San Diego, says that you must average about 70% occupancy to turn a profit-------the hotel business
is very competitive, and they operate on very thin margins, so to keep their prices low and attract clients they cut expenses where they can.
Barry
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motoged
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| Quote: | Originally posted by desertcpl
....I feel really sorry for these workers, there is no reason in the world why they cant make a decent living, |
Are you sympathetic to this issue or are you simply ignorant of the reality? The initial post clearly indicated several reasons they can't make a
good living....could you on $6/day? There is a rather complex series of issues on the go here....but clearly the economy in general limits
opportunities, as well as does education, corruption, etc....
Really....think about it.
Don't believe everything you think....
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
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After reading all these comments, I'm wondering how many of you that are upset about the low wages of the maids, bother to walk into the hotel resort
lobby and say, "I'm considering staying at your resort/motel. But first I want to know how much you pay an hour to your maids.??????
I know that when I inquire I ask, what is your best rate based on the following clubs I belong to. i.e. AARP. TripleA. etc,etc. I can't remember in
any of the hundreds of motels/resorts I've been to, that I've heard other people checking in who have asked that question, "how much do you pay your
maids"? Like said earlier. It's supply & demand. If there are large numbers of people who are willing to work for peanuts, there will always
be people who will hire them. O;.K. Now. It's time for those who support Union involvement to correct this problem.???? AND NOW, what if they are
organized, get higher wages, and guess what? You will start paying higher daily room rates. So, who is really right in this quest for
"fairness" in wages?
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Barry A.
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Location: Redding, Northern CA
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My brother-in-law built, and owned the Mission Valley Hilton (originally the DOUBLETREE) in San Diego. He ran a non-union shop for years. Then the
Union reps came in and tried to organize the hotel workers, and tried, and tried, and tried----FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS------hasseling everybody in the
process big-time. In the end, the employees voted to stay non-union, but my brother-in-law was so disalusioned, tired, disgusted at the Union tactics
and what it cost to fight them, that he said to heck with it----sold the building and the business----and went on to other things.
After he got over the trauma, he did buy another Mission Valley Hotel and runs it to this day, as a non-union shop. We will see how long THAT lasts.
Barry
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Bajatripper
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3151
Registered: 3-20-2010
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
That maid, in accordance with the Baja region minimum wage earns $5.60 per day.
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Although I'm sure that the maids is such resorts aren't paid much, I wonder if this statement is true. While I don't dispute that $5.60 is the minimum
wage in this area of the country, I have farmer friends who can't pay even Oaxaquitos (the euphemism in Mexico for the person who just fell off the
turnip truck) that amount to pick their crops for five hours a day. They have to pay double or more to get people into their fields.
Something this summation left out that I have come across in other resources is the psychological damage done to people who work all day surrounded in
the opulence that is the resort tourist industry and then go home to their hovels at night.
Overall, this is a fine example of why this industry (resort tourism) is not good for a region. Sure, it leaves a trickle of income with the locals,
but most of the earnings are repatriated out of the country. Then there's the environmental damage that is done to a destination, the loss of access
to beaches for the locals, the social upheavel, the squalour these resorts cause as people flood to the region from poorer regions of Mexico to a
place where the infrastructure improvements NEVER take locals into account, etc. etc.
Your tourist dollars go a lot further in helping locals if they are spent in small, locally-owned-and-operated businesses at vacation destinations.
But, of course, one can't expect the comfort and luxury offered at places such as Los Cabos. What a shame that some require that to enjoy their
vacation time.
There most certainly is but one side to every story: the TRUTH. Variations of it are nothing but lies.
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desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2405
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
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| Quote: | Originally posted by motoged
| Quote: | Originally posted by desertcpl
....I feel really sorry for these workers, there is no reason in the world why they cant make a decent living, |
Are you sympathetic to this issue or are you simply ignorant of the reality? The initial post clearly indicated several reasons they can't make a
good living....could you on $6/day? There is a rather complex series of issues on the go here....but clearly the economy in general limits
opportunities, as well as does education, corruption, etc....
Really....think about it. |
JERK
apparently you cant read either 
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bajacalifornian
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January 1st, 2011
■Área geográfica A: 59.82 pesos
■Área geográfica B: 58.13 pesos
■Área geográfica C: 56.70 pesos
Recordamos que la zona geográfica A se compone, entre otros lugares, de:
■ istrito Federal y su Área Metropolitana
■Baja California
■Baja California Sur
■Acapulco
■Ciudad Juarez
■Nogales
■Matamoros
■Coatzacoalcos
I don´t believe the above needs translation,
I´ve lived in Baja for eleven years, I’m 22 years of age, several friends of mine work for resorts in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, and
I have no idea where this information is coming from but can assure anyone it is complete nonsense. As I´ve posted above, the legal minimum wage as
of 2011 is 59.82 pesos. The only reason any of my friends work at these resorts under minimum wage is because of the wonderful tips they receive,
they tell me that it estimates to two dollars per drink, but have encountered very generous, or (drunk) tourists that leave up to 100 dollars or
greater. My best guess is that the lady you conversed with was selling a story to make out with a better tip. You have thousands of people going
through Cabo a week, especially knowing that Cabo is a time shared community, of at least 70% mentality of a party scenario, you’re at the resort
having fun, getting drunk the people working there are usually making it a lot easier to have a good time, take this combination and I dare you to say
they are not making an extra couple of bucks from all the happy campers. Based on a personal experience I was once at the resort Marquis in Cabo they
were selling 1000 dollar popsicles and the tips the waiters were receiving were crazy. On the other hand you have got to take into consideration that
food and utilities do not cost the same as the States.
Son of bajacalifornian,
Bradley J.S. Petersen
American by birth, Mexican by choice.
Signature addendum: Danish physicist — Niels Bohr — who said, “The opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth.
Jeff Petersen
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