Aaliyah Cortez explained that she just wants to be ‘paid adequately and consistently’

The topic of pay is certainly a divisive one. And with the ongoing cost of living crisis, it’s a pretty important discussion to be had too.

Well, a bartender from Austin, Texas, sparked quite the debate after revealing how much she made from 70 hours of shifts.

The TikToker also told her followers why everyone should ‘always’ tip their servers, explaining she just wants to be ‘paid adequately and consistently’.

However, the video has divided opinion:

Aaliyah Cortez had worked at a sports bar for a year before she uploaded a video of her payslip to TikTok in January 2020.

In short clip, Aaliyah showed her followers a pay breakdown, revealing she gets paid just $2.13 an hour without tips.

As a result, she has to reply largely on tips provided by customers of the sports bar.

If she worked 70 hours for just over $2 per hour, in theory, that means she should’ve taken home around $140.

But when you hear about how much the Aaliyah actually took home, I think you’ll be left a little shocked.

Aaliyah revealed that following 70.8 hours’ work, she was paid lowly $9.28 after federal taxes, social security and Medicare.

Aaliyah added: “So this is why you should always tip your bartenders and servers, anyone who waits on you or provides a service for you.”

“Of course, I got tips, but this is what I got for my hourly,” she went on. “This is why you tip.”

The mom hit out at the service industry and said she just wants to be ‘paid adequately and consistently’.

“There are laws set up that allow tipped employees to be paid under the federal minimum wage, which makes us rely on the customer to pay our wages,” she told Buzzfeed.

“It’s not right that we have to do this, but I wanted to shed some light on the issue and inform the public about the importance of tipping.

“If I had a good two weeks from tips, my check will be on the lower side. At my last restaurant, my checks would come out to be $0.

“I just wish we were all being paid adequately and consistently. As you can see – by my check – I cannot afford to live off of $2.13 an hour, so I solely rely on the generosity of my customers.”

Viewers have been divided by her video, as one person commented: “This is why the US should be like EVERY other developed nation and not have a tip culture. Businesses should pay your wages. Tips shouldn’t be a thing.”

A second added: “Tips are optional always have been always will be. The whole iF YoU cAnT tIP dOnT EAt oUT thing is point less we pay our bill that’s it.”

“Blame the business not the customers keeping the business open,” a third thought.

However, others were a little more sympathetic, as one person wrote: “No mam, your bar/restaurant is getting free labor and that’s not ok.”

And another remarked: “The people mad at this are the people who don’t tip lmao.”

“I don’t get why people go to restaurants and and can’t leave a decent tip like just go to a fast food place instead,” complained someone else.