Antigua and Barbuda sells itself to the world as a luxury tourism destination built on warmth, service excellence, and hospitality. Yet behind the polished branding and five-star marketing lies a disturbing reality that threatens to stain the country’s image: the systematic exploitation of frontline hospitality workers through the misappropriation of tips and service charges.
This practice has crossed the line from poor management into what many workers now describe as organized wage theft.
Frontline employees, including waiters, bartenders, housekeepers, porters, and servers, are routinely denied direct access to tips intended specifically for them. Instead, tips and service charges are forcibly pooled and redistributed across the board, often with no transparency, no clear formula, and no accountability. The result is predictable: the people who interact directly with guests and generate the tips receive the least benefit, while management and ownership quietly profit.
What makes this situation even more damaging is the reaction from visitors. Guests are increasingly shocked and angered when they discover that the individual providing their service does not actually receive the tip they give. Many refuse to tip at all once they realize they are contributing to an exploitative system. This is not just a labour issue. It is now a visitor experience issue that directly undermines trust in Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism brand.
To make matters worse, some companies have begun labeling tips as company property. Workers are now threatened with disciplinary action or termination if they do not submit tips into centralized systems. Employees are being told that keeping a tip handed directly to them by a guest constitutes theft. This reversal of justice, where workers are criminalized while exploitative systems are protected, has created fear, resentment, and financial hardship across the industry.
Let us be clear. Tips and service charges are not gifts to companies. They are expressions of appreciation meant for service workers. When these funds are diverted, diluted, or absorbed into profit margins, it becomes exploitation in its purest form.
This situation places Antigua and Barbuda at serious risk of reputational damage. In an era where tourists openly share their experiences online, stories of exploited workers and unfair tipping practices travel fast. Silence and inaction from authorities only reinforce the perception that worker abuse is tolerated, if not endorsed.
We are therefore calling on the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the Ministry of Labour, and all relevant authorities to act immediately. This issue requires urgent investigation, clear legislation, and strict enforcement. Transparent tip distribution policies must be mandated, worker protections strengthened, and penalties imposed on businesses that exploit service charges for profit.
Failure to act will not only deepen inequality within the hospitality sector but will also signal to the world that Antigua and Barbuda is willing to sacrifice worker dignity for profit.
This is not the image of a world-class tourism destination.
This is not sustainable.
And this must not be allowed to continue.
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It has surely become something that needs attention urgently as workers are drained exhausted and frustrated while working hard to ensure guest needs are met while managers especially expats are gaining big salaries while micromanaging bullying and a lot of racism.no motivation from them no love no empathy.they cause division and straineous work days
This issue is also occurring in English Harbour, where a 17% service charge is being collected, along with tips, yet workers have not received any portion of these funds. It is our understanding that some employers are now using the service charge and tips to cover wages, which is unfair. These charges were meant to compensate employees for their extra service, not to replace what businesses should be paying from their own revenue.
This practice feels deceptive and unjust in today’s working environment. We strongly urge the Workers’ Union to send representatives to these establishments in English Harbour to speak directly with employees and investigate this matter.
This situation must be addressed and corrected promptly before it begins to negatively impact worker morale and the tourism industry as a whole.
It’s laughable that the author thinks we have 5-star marketing. That said, the greater point is a good one. This is ABSOLUTELY wage theft and not okay!
Wait over here. DOn’t blame expats for this behavior.
How many Black Antiguans are part of HR and administratives position in the hotel industry islandwide? How many Black Antiguans operate business that force 10% Service Charge on bills?
I hate by core being force to pay 10% Service Charge. Any place that use this i don’t return to them, It violate my Right of choice how to give tips. This is a clear violations of our freedom of choices, regardless people try to wash this behavior like “They told you in advance, you take it or leave it” Is like “We told you in advance we are going to violate your constitutional’s rights over here”
Showing Gratitude through Tips after being served is a choice, and the staff who is dealing directly with you highly appreciate when you recognizing their job. But When staff pass a bill that obligate the costumer pay 10%, he don’t care because he knows that money isn’t going to his pocket. That’s why the services is trash.
If a business don’t know how to calculate properly the cost of produce some services, is their damm problem, but Antigua should make ilegal to add in any receipts a % of Service Charge.
I am dismayed to read this. It is appalling that the owners’ and management believe they are entitled to these gratuities or use them, in any part, to pay their staff. As a visitor I like to tip for good service, from housekeeping to the person who helps me with my luggage at the end of my stay. A happy, helpful employee makes a place. Perhaps you should all go on strike. Imagine how a day during the high season would affect the owners. From now on I shall tip in cash and discreetly. I wish you all the best in your endeavour to change this practice.
You are working on the new plantation. Take it to the top dawgs in prayer, then have your preacher pray for you in Zeus’s name.
I see a few people are concerned that this practice s going on within the hospitality industry and sadly to it is only getting worse for the hotel workers and as a former hotel worker myself you may be asking or saying why don’t we go to the union or why don’t we strike, the truth in part is that the unions are completely ineffective for the hotel workers and striking would require unity amongst team members and some people are scared or disinterested in striking and employers have actually terminated some employees simply for striking. The gratuity situation in the hotel industry is really egregious and there needs to be some serious change.
What’s much worse is bein fought down by our own black people….no trust….no confidentiality….double standard…and favoritism…I worked at a so called 5 star hotel on the south side… theres have a female executive manager and nobody tawl dangerous so…she like to bully and victimized staff…..she will throw ppl under the bus and get them fired to save herself…she luv mix up…lie and fake now wah. She put on a good show for her superiors though….they doh see she is de problem 🙄
It seems like some hotel owners like cheap labour and dont like to see black peopld making money..
For years it was said that tips were for the front of house staff but yet I have guests who would come to the back of house staff asking if we got the top they left as a back of house staff I have sat and watch the front of house staff brag that they don’t even have to touch their pay as there tip alkne is enough to cover their monthly expenses while the back of house staff gets nothing now I’m speaking from within the F&B department so itsnt it fare that we all profits from the work like a waitress or waiting can’t do their job with out the kitchen been behind them so why is the tip not shared and I have seen different front of house departments fight between each other over tip accusing management of thief when it just greed once I tryed to suggest that the tip be pooled and shared equally amongst the front of house and I got cursed for week just to suggest a fare resolution.but we like to blame the top when we are the one who is making it bad for each other
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