In considering pay in tourism and hospitality the first point which is worth noting is the enduring and prevailing existence of law pay in the sector. For example, Wood (1997a: 69) notes how, 'the majority of academic evidence concurs in suggesting both that basic rates of pay in hotels and catering are inadequate and employers are frequently ruthless in pursuing low-pay strategies'. Thus tourism and hospitality, and particularly the hotel and catering sub-sector, is low paid, both in absolute terms (i.e. purchasing power) and relative terms (compared to most other workers) (see also Human Resource Management in practice 9.4).