Mary makes minimum wages waiting tables at a new bar/restaurant
  in a small college town.  She makes up for low wages with
  somewhat decent tips.  After working at the restaurant for 
  3 months Mary's boss asked her to train to be a manager. 
  Mary was in training and making the same wages but earned
  less from tips.  
  
  During the mardi gras night, the restaurant made over $11,000.
  Mary at the same times makes about $200.00 for her full day
  shift.  
  
  Mary continues to make minimum wage and works harder at
  her management duties.  Sometimes, she has to tend bar and
  she also waits tables whenever there is a need.  The owner 
  and his wife told Mary that they can rely upon her.  They
  reward her with health care and dental benefits, but, they 
  did not give her any more pay raise to match her increased 
  responsibilities and the stress that came with the 
  management duties.
  
  Mary still earned some tip money whenever she pitched in
  to wait on tables.  Sometimes on weekends, during lunch shift,
  she worked as bartender.  At the end of each day, she put 
  part of her tip money in the envelope that was marked for the
  cooks and the helpers in the kitchen.
  
  Four months into her job, Mary wants to tell the owner
  that she needs more money to compensate for her position.
  Mary, however, never gets a chance to tell them.  
  One day she was joking with the helpers in the kitchen 
  extra pay and was stunned to learn that all the waitress's 
  tips which were supposed to go to the cook and helpers in 
  the kitchen never reach them.  The restaurant
  owner kept the money for himself.  
  
  Mary quit her job 4 months after being promoted. 
    
  Thom has wanted to work in the movie industry ever since
  he graduated from high school.  After graduating from college, 
  Thom moved to Hollywood.  He got into acting as extra and was
  paid $50.00 per day.  Thom joined Screen Actor Guild ($1000)
  and started to earn more money with union's minimum $450.00 per
  day for speaking parts.  Thom soon discovered that extra works 
  for unionized actors are hard to find. He decided to work in 
  a small production company and started at a low level job as a 
  runner and after 3 months. Thom left to join another company 
  as set production and production assistant.
  
  At some of these companies, Thom worked 12-14 hours a day and 
  was told to put 8 hours on his time card.  As a temporary 
  employee, Thom received no insurance, no benefits and earned 
  only minimum hourly salary.
  
  To be continued...

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