It doesn't matter who I hurt by not tipping. It matters that I help shitty employers keep up a shitty system if I do. Employees are being hurt whether I tip or not. But my money will not go into some exploitative asshole's pocket, regardless of your appeals to emotion.

You're telling me, the customer, that I should help the employees unionize? Are you all up to date with the respective responsibilities of parties here? I believe it's the employees who should drive unionization, not customers who are entirely unable to do anything about it.

Also, was the suggestion that tips go into emergency funds meant seriously? Do you know how unions and emergency funds operate?

Most businesses don't advocate that they're exploiting their employees, so your suggestion to just "not go to stores that rely on it" falls a bit flat.