At least I won’t look like a cheapskate for not tipping them

Paraphrased translation of a letter I just found in our mailbox:

Dear Lady Munichers and Munichers,

More than 750 Müllmänner* work in our city daily, to efficiently remove your waste. They do a tough job and therefore enjoy high esteem in the community.** It has been a custom to thank them with a tip around this time of year.
In the interest of equality amongst our municipal workers, we have decided that the garbage men may no longer accept tips. It’s only fair, since no other city workers are allowed to accept tips. […approx. 50 more sentences about why this is an awesome idea…]

PROTECTION OF COWORKERS
[…more crap about how wonderful this idea is…]

LITTLE GIFTS STILL ALLOWED
You may give them stuff worth up to 15 euros per Müllmann, for example drinks or groceries. This rule goes for all city employees.***

THIS IS NOT ALLOWED
Please do not give your Müllmänner cash or cash-like things (ie. gift certificates, lottery tickets, and phone cards). When you do this (openly or secretly), you bring yourself and the Müllmänner in a difficult situation.**** In this situation, the Müllmänner are obliged to give the money to the anti-corruption-delegates of the AWM.

We will be happy to answer your questions at this number.

With friendly greetings,
Your Munich Garbage Team


* this means ‘garbage men’. I didn’t translate because the German word is just more… poetic.
** is it bad that this part made me laugh?
***whew, at least I can still buy a beer for that friendly guy down at the DMV.
****what kind of difficult situation? Like Levi Johnston difficult? Worse?

12 thoughts on “At least I won’t look like a cheapskate for not tipping them”

  1. I found the bit about comparing the garbage workers to other city workers pretty funny. Have you noticed that the argument that something or other isn’t fair (that is, equal) carries a lot of weight in Germany?

  2. That is hilarious! I’m so jealous to not to have such a fabulous piece of mail. You should really collect that stuff for a book or something.

  3. Swiss Miss – we got some good mail in CH, too. I even blogged about my favorite piece here. And I might even still have the stickers somewhere.

  5. I would say hi more, but I always read you in my reader because I find the white on black hard on my eyes.
    This post made me read it and laugh out loud. How very Russian of the Munich authorities (“See my neighbor’s cow- kill my neighbor’s cow.”). Equality always seems to be a downward movement, not an upward one.

  8. In our county, garbage pickup has been outsourced to a private firm. At least three businesses have been convicted of bribery for offering “tips” to the private garbagemen (in exchange for coming around more often). A court upheld the convictions, arguing that even though the garbagemen are not public employees, they are being paid to perform a public service, and are therefore “bribable”.

  9. G – Yeah, the dark on light is a trade-off. It’s better for photo display, but hard on some eyes. Have you tried making the font larger (ctrl and +)? That helps for me on pages that I find difficult to read.

    Maria – and to think, I almost didn’t bother to read it…

    Ian – I had no idea that people tipped garbage men here, either. But I tend to be generally clueless about such things.

    PapaScott – interesting story. Who knew garbageman bribery was such an international problem?

  11. I just can’t believe it. So, does that mean that if you do give money (in some way), the AWM is politely securing it? And then how? For the next Christmas dinner? I think not. Oh and I’m just imagining that if everyone gives them drinks (i.e beer), they won’t be in any state to “clean up the city” anyway. What a great pary they’ll have! LOL!

  12. Duckie – I’m wondering where one is supposed to leave this food and drink. Sitting on top of the trash can?

    CS – LOL, maybe I should call the hotline and ask them what they’ll be doing with the confiscated tips. 🙂

Comments are closed.