Having to completely rely on tips to pay our bills puts us in danger: We must please customers, otherwise we don’t make money. Bosses also have outsized power by being able to dictate what kind of shifts we work and ultimately, how many tips we can earn. Throughout my time in the restaurant industry, I’ve experienced countless horrendous acts of sexual harassment and witnessed them happening to my co-workers. I’ve been touched and followed by customers and have even been offered hotel keys in lieu of tips. A friend of mine was murdered at 21 years old by a regular customer of the restaurant where she used to work.