What do you tip your bin men?

There was a time they were out in all weathers here and had to do physical work. Still didn't tip them - plenty of others also work in similar conditions but no-one cares about them.

I just can’t visualise how that would work in practice. But fair enough.

In the UK, however, bin men do have a tough, physical job that has them out in all weather. And in my opinion, they deserve a tip at Christmas from those who can afford it.

@FuckinghellthatsUnbelievable where I work, in an affluent part of the south east, the Loaders most certainly do not earn that much. They’re barely above minimum wage.

The Loaders don’t get much more than minimum wage. They are out in all weathers, no matter how hard the rain, in the snow, when it’s burning hit in the sunshine, they walk about 20 miles a day - it’s blummin hard work. I couldn’t do it.

The bins are all placed on the edge of the footpaths. Same with the recycling bins. There are no extra bin bags, they only take bins.

They like (in order) cash, beer, chocolates, wine

So your bins are left in a specific place where these hydraulic arms can reach them without human intervention?

That really isn’t the norm in the UK. Here there are humans running all over the place grabbing wheelie bins to drag to the truck, which then lifts the bin to tip it. Then it’s human power to deposit the bin somewhere near where it started and they’re running off the next place. And yes, often they do seem to be running, not walking. It’s not an easy job. Plus there’s all the lifting and chucking of extra bin bags, which is done manually.

They press a button, the hydraulic arms pick up the bin, empty it into the truck, then replace the bin on the footpath. There is only one person in the truck, he does the driving.

I'm not in the UK btw, but I assumed it would be much the same there. Seems I was wrong.

I don’t use supermarkets so no I don’t tip shelf stackers, I buy my daughter’s teachers and her tutors something every Christmas and Easter, I pay for private health insurance.

The conversation was about binmen, why are you making it about other things? If you’re upset about not getting tips you could always wait tables over Xmas. I used to and my word! The tips were crazy big.

What sort of outdated services do you have? Where I live the binperson drives a truck, presses a button, the equipment picks up the bin, empties it into the truck, puts the bin down. Nothing horrible about it, and the weather doesn't matter a bit.

No tip. Agree with others, that I earn less than them, work more hours and no tips or bonus etc. Nor do I know who they are.

we used to have a great postie who I gave things to, always went the extra mile. Now seem to have random people. And not much post as too expensive to use RM

I don’t. I pay council tax.

They don’t get out of the truck at all? How does that work?!

It certainly isn’t the case in any of the areas I’ve lived!

I can assure you that the binmen here to nothing other than drive the truck. The truck does everything, they don't even get out of it.

I don't tip anyone. I wouldn't know my binman, postman etc. from a bar of soap. Why should anyone be tipped? I worked as a receptionist for decades, no-one tipped me, why are some jobs considered worth extra rewards and others not?

Our post man and the Evri delivery person, both get £20 on the basis we see them a lot and speak to them, I don't know the bin crew so we don't tip them

This really isn’t fair or accurate- it’s a job that still requires heavy lifting, physical strength and fitness, despite the improvements mechanisation of some aspects offers.

Nothing, why would i? And they didn't empty my bin last week!

Yep, definitely a think in Yorkshire when I was a kid. You tipped the bin man and the postman. Equivalent of about 2 hours of min wage to give a ball park figure.

We get ours 2 large crate of beers each year - they always take extra bags left by the side of the wheelie bins if we run out of space, they work hard and I hope it doesn't get them into trouble, but having seen some of these answers, I will ask them

It used to be physically tough job, more worthy of a tip before the advent of hydraulic lifts etc. on the back of the vehicles... Now they pull a wheeled bin next the the truck, press a button and the truck does the hard work.

You have a milkie? Wow haven't seen one or a float for decades!

Well when we lived in a different area we had a horrible postie who would always take the parcels back to the main post office and make us go there to collect it. Was a right pain to find the time and go there. Never had that problem here and we have been here 4 years.

The reason I feel like doing something nice for him is he has built a lovely friendship with our family over the past 4 years, always smiling and chats nicely with all of us. He lost his wife this year due to a sudden illness and is really struggling with the grief. He deserves some cheering up and we have always given him wine and chocolate since we moved here. I added biscuits this year. No idea what else to get him. I know for a fact that our immediate neighbours who have all lived here for 20 years plus do tip him cash or wine/chocolates etc. I think if you appreciate ppl you should let them know. In our culture we tip or give gifts at festivals. We are not Christian but since this is the main festival in UK we buy all our staff presents at this time of the year.

Ah, see, I tip hairdressers, waiters, cabbies and even takeaway delivery drivers,.

Nothing.... They only do the bare minimum, won't collect bins if they're not exactly where they say they're supposed to be, yet leave them in the middle of the road instead of returning to where we had to drop them off. Means we have to stop car, move bins and then park afterwards.

We tip the postman £10 though because they are genuinely helpful and friendly all year.