This Just In - Current USH Happenings

[Wesker69]

I mean it’s so bad that I know current team members that don’t have money to even eat at the onsite facilities.

At Knotts, we watched them raise prices for our employee cafe, but not our wages. And the food options were limited. And they also started bringing in a food truck too, which was definitely $$$$. It was a no win scenario. I started to buy a 20pk of mini cliff bars, Costco size bag of veggie straws, & other snacks to hold me over without having to give into paying $6-10 for food. To make things even worse, last year, Knotts started closing their employee cafe 2hrs before the park closed, it was originally 1hr before. So depending on your shift, you might be screwed when going on lunch break with only the vending machines as an option.

When I worked at Six Flags, I kept my AP after I was hired since I had the dining plan. So if I wasn't opening, I'd go in early at Park Open to scan my pass then usually run to Chop Six or Katie's Kettle for my lunch break. Now if I opened, I'd run down to the maingate on my 1st break to scan my pass. Otherwise I'd just have the staff at Katie's Kettle activate it for me lol.. I think I was paying around $15 a month(?) & it saved me so much money.

Magic Mountain only has one employee cafe & its next to Goliath. Imagine if your area is by Viper, Tatsu, or Apocalypse.. thats a far walk!
Knotts technically has 2 employee cafes (main one across from Grimoire behind Ghost Town, the other behind Hangtime), but they don't staff the kitchen in the one by Hangtime. It's basically "defunct". That one just has grab-n-go snacks & refrigerated/frozen food, along with vending machines.

 

[BillM]

I wonder what the hourly rate needs to be to help pull these workers out of poverty.

Good question. My answer is there is no good rate. As everyone's rates continue to rise, so does the cost of living. As companies raise their labor costs, they have to raise costs on everything else. Add in the supply chain that keeps all the good coming to USH, and you can figure it out. My other thought is they have way too much supervision. Lot of employees who are not in uniforms just walking around the park and in my opinion doing nothing.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Good question. My answer is there is no good rate. As everyone's rates continue to rise, so does the cost of living. As companies raise their labor costs, they have to raise costs on everything else. Add in the supply chain that keeps all the good coming to USH, and you can figure it out. My other thought is they have way too much supervision. Lot of employees who are not in uniforms just walking around the park and in my opinion doing nothing.

I mean in a way you are correct, unless the government came in and enacted a law where all companies can't just charge more because and make stock buy backs illegal and link CEO/Stock prices based on what you can pay the medium employee

It will never happen under the current system but back in the day people worked at Disneyland and it was a career they could pay for a home and family....now everyone is just getting shafted and money keeps floating to the top and not trickling down


Also thought of this the other day......all of us Tax payers are paying for these employee's. When a company forces people into government assistance programs you can I are paying the benefits for USH, every person on food stamps at a company that is making billions in profits is literally putting the US more id debt, raising inflation and keeping taxes high because if we could cut the amount of people needing these programs we could cut taxes. I feel like if Politicians phrased it like this to normal people some would be like "the hell he is right...I don't want to pay to substitute companies that make profits, we have to do something about it" . We will always have "pull yourself up by your bootstraps people but I think phrases it as Social for the rich could push some to see it in a new light.

 

[IzzyB]

At Knotts, we watched them raise prices for our employee cafe, but not our wages. And the food options were limited. And they also started bringing in a food truck too, which was definitely $$$$. It was a no win scenario. I started to buy a 20pk of mini cliff bars, Costco size bag of veggie straws, & other snacks to hold me over without having to give into paying $6-10 for food. To make things even worse, last year, Knotts started closing their employee cafe 2hrs before the park closed, it was originally 1hr before. So depending on your shift, you might be screwed when going on lunch break with only the vending machines as an option.

When I worked at Six Flags, I kept my AP after I was hired since I had the dining plan. So if I wasn't opening, I'd go in early at Park Open to scan my pass then usually run to Chop Six or Katie's Kettle for my lunch break. Now if I opened, I'd run down to the maingate on my 1st break to scan my pass. Otherwise I'd just have the staff at Katie's Kettle activate it for me lol.. I think I was paying around $15 a month(?) & it saved me so much money.

Magic Mountain only has one employee cafe & its next to Goliath. Imagine if your area is by Viper, Tatsu, or Apocalypse.. thats a far walk!
Knotts technically has 2 employee cafes (main one across from Grimoire behind Ghost Town, the other behind Hangtime), but they don't staff the kitchen in the one by Hangtime. It's basically "defunct". That one just has grab-n-go snacks & refrigerated/frozen food, along with vending machines.

I 100% feel if you work 40 hours a week you should make a livable wage. But I think my livable wage might be different than others on here. Eating out is a luxury. Lots of work places I have worked at didn't have a cafeteria at all. People packed their lunch. Going out to eat was a once a week or once every other week thing in most places I worked because of money and time since it would be at a restaurant. The only times it was daily was when they had a company cafeteria that was subsidized which is rare.

So yes they need a wage to not be on food stamps, they need health insurance, they need to be able to have a roof over their head, etc. But complaints about being able to eat IN the park are arguments that make people not be on the fair wage wagon. They go, "I don't eat out every day, why should they be able to?". So people need to really stick to the basics when complaining about wages. These types of arguments don't help the employees cause.

 

[Wesker69]

My other thought is they have way too much supervision. Lot of employees who are not in uniforms just walking around the park and in my opinion doing nothing.

This is one of the problems at Knott's, it doesn't just stop at supervision. Most of the leads don't do anything either unless they have to. I had good leads/supervisors (for the most part) at Six Flags, but a terrible department manager who was out of touch with the park itself. She only viewed it as a "product", not once about guest experience.

While packing a lunch seems like a great idea in theory, not every job gives their employees a break room/fridge + microwave. Different areas of Six Flags was lucky if they even had a tent and/or shed. At Knotts, Soak City for example, lockers in direct sunlight or a shed. The level of "care" for employees is barely existent.

Even when I worked at Hard Rock, we had to pay (half price?) for our food if we wanted to eat on lunch. It was better than full price, BUT you'd think they'd let you get it for free since it's not a day off. While we had a (small) break room, it had no fridge or microwave. So bringing lunch wasn't exactly an option.

Universal has some great break spaces, they've definitely made effort there. I was lucky enough to struggle pre-covid. One of my friends had to go on temporary unemployment when Waterworld went down for refurb since Animal Actors/Special Effects were demolished. There are only so many shifts available to pick up. This is why shows are important, as well as character photo-ops and more.

 

[IzzyB]

This is one of the problems at Knott's, it doesn't just stop at supervision. Most of the leads don't do anything either unless they have to. I had good leads/supervisors (for the most part) at Six Flags, but a terrible department manager who was out of touch with the park itself. She only viewed it as a "product", not once about guest experience.

While packing a lunch seems like a great idea in theory, not every job gives their employees a break room/fridge + microwave. Different areas of Six Flags was lucky if they even had a tent

Even when I worked at Hard Rock, we had to pay (half price?) for our food if we wanted to eat on lunch. It was better than full price, BUT you'd think they'd let you get it for free since it's not a day off. While we had a (small) break room, it had no fridge or microwave. So bringing lunch wasn't exactly an option.

Universal has some great break spaces, they've definitely made effort there. I was lucky enough to struggle pre-covid. One of my friends had to go on temporary unemployment when Waterworld went down for refurb since Animal Actors/Special Effects were demolished. There are only so many shifts available to pick up. This is why shows are important, as well as character photo-ops and more.

My kids don't have microwave or fridge, either do I for many many times I have to pack a lunch. Lunch box with ice packs and sandwiches, salads, etc. Or my daughter does soup in those keep hot 8 hour containers.

Look I get it, it sucks. I grew up poor, my dad was a blue collar worker and he had to pack his lunch every day. He was on the road going to various construction sites all day and had no access to any of the things you are talking about. He did soups in the winter and sandwiches in the summer. Every single weekday for his entire working life. When I was in college I had $5 of spending money a week and if I needed shampoo or other stuff that week then I had nothing, so school food it was. Ramon noodles was my friend when I was young. I am just saying eating out is a luxury and many people that don't care about livable wage and would call people working 40 hours a week lazy (which I do NOT agree with at all) would write off the entire argument if you start talking about how expensive it is to eat out. The argument needs to be they are not able to buy reasonable groceries, pay for transportation to and from work, have a roof over their head, medical care, etc. Those types of things play way better than I couldn't eat lunch out.

I will say in my short time going to Universal I have seen a TON of workers just standing doing nothing, many times in groups chatting. It really feels they are over staffed in some areas and understaffed in others. Maybe too top heavy?

 

[Jake S]

I am just saying eating out is a luxury and many people that don't care about livable wage and would call people working 40 hours a week lazy (which I do NOT agree with at all) would write off the entire argument if you start talking about how expensive it is to eat out.

But these people are wrong. I'm not a politician and I do not have to countenance bad-faith arguments. Eating at a canteen in a theme park where leaving during your shift is all but impossible is not a luxury. And it's absurd that Knott's (appears) to be attempting to make a profit off its employees, when its primary motivation should be that they're actually eating.

When I worked at Knott's, I packed a lunch every day. But I was also single, living alone and had no responsibilities beyond making sure I showed up on time. I think for most people, that's probably the right choice. But I don't think it's the same as the boys going out for burritos from their office in Santa Monica.

 

[Wesker69]

Yep. There is a huge difference between "eating out" & eating at an employee cafe (occasionally)

You knew it was payday at Knotts when that place got slammed 30min lunch, but 10min to eat by the time you paid/got food. So yea, bringing food (when possible) was nice.

 

[BillM]

I 100% feel if you work 40 hours a week you should make a livable wage. But I think my livable wage might be different than others on here. Eating out is a luxury. Lots of work places I have worked at didn't have a cafeteria at all. People packed their lunch. Going out to eat was a once a week or once every other week thing in most places I worked because of money and time since it would be at a restaurant. The only times it was daily was when they had a company cafeteria that was subsidized which is rare.

So yes they need a wage to not be on food stamps, they need health insurance, they need to be able to have a roof over their head, etc. But complaints about being able to eat IN the park are arguments that make people not be on the fair wage wagon. They go, "I don't eat out every day, why should they be able to?". So people need to really stick to the basics when complaining about wages. These types of arguments don't help the employees cause.

What is a livable wage? Please give a specific amount. Not an answer that says someone can afford rent and food and have money left over. A livable wage is just a statement.

 

[Jerroddragon]

What is a livable wage? Please give a specific amount. Not an answer that says someone can afford rent and food and have money left over. A livable wage is just a statement.

We have AI

We can easily use a model based on current rent prices and average food and utilities

We landed on the moon we can figure this out but companies don’t want you to be able to live comfortable anyone they just want profits with no limits

 

[Brian G.]

Let’s tread carefully here. There is a lot of answers, and it can start dipping into the political side of things.

 

[ItsAtrap]

I 100% feel if you work 40 hours a week you should make a livable wage.

I do too. Livable wage is a term I see all the time. But no number attached.

What is the actual number, per hour, that makes a livable wage?

 

[Freak]

We have AI

We can easily use a model based on current rent prices and average food and utilities

We landed on the moon we can figure this out but companies don’t want you to be able to live comfortable anyone they just want profits with no limits

What if…we actually didn’t?

Nah jk we all know the Bristish actually landed there it first. Wallace and Gromit were really the first on the moon.

 

[Jake S]

if someone is relying on food stamps, they’re not being paid a living wage. this “gotcha” game is extremely tedious. it’s not our job to delineate specific policy — that’s what we pay politicians hundreds of thousands of dollars to sort out.

 

[BillM]

I do too. Livable wage is a term I see all the time. But no number attached.

What is the actual number, per hour, that makes a livable wage?

You will never get the answer. Livable wage is just a phrase people like to throw out.

 

[Freakenstein]

You will never get the answer. Livable wage is just a phrase people like to throw out.

The living wage or minimum wage or “livable wage” is documented and real. It’s just that we have not adjusted it in years. I understand everyone is saying what’s the number but honestly it’s such a complicated topic. I think West Hollywood just raised there wage to 21$ and that’s a pretty good start.

 

[Mad Dog]

A livable wage would largely be predicated on the costs and economics of the areas the workers live. A living wage in NYC or LA is far different than a living wage in Beckley WV. It's actually very complicated.

 

[BillM]

The living wage or minimum wage or “livable wage” is documented and real. It’s just that we have not adjusted it in years. I understand everyone is saying what’s the number but honestly it’s such a complicated topic. I think West Hollywood just raised there wage to 21$ and that’s a pretty good start.

Great!!! Where is it documented? What is the livable wage for LA area employees? Not trying to get on you. But this is the point I am making. Livable wage is just thrown out there and it is hard to get an answer. Remember when the state began raising minimum wage to $15 and that was going to help. In the end it raised prices all around becaus the whole supply chain got raises also. Now we are going towards $20 an hour, and guess what, so does everyone else in the supply chain. Soon $20 won't be enought. LA City wants certain hotel workers to get $25 an hour. Great, now hotel prices go up and no one stays at certain hotels.

 

[Allison]

Great!!! Where is it documented? What is the livable wage for LA area employees? Not trying to get on you. But this is the point I am making. Livable wage is just thrown out there and it is hard to get an answer. Remember when the state began raising minimum wage to $15 and that was going to help. In the end it raised prices all around becaus the whole supply chain got raises also. Now we are going towards $20 an hour, and guess what, so does everyone else in the supply chain. Soon $20 won't be enought. LA City wants certain hotel workers to get $25 an hour. Great, now hotel prices go up and no one stays at certain hotels.

A livable wage is being able to safely pay for the necessities in life without having to choose between which one of them, be it housing, transportation, food, etc., can be gone without as none of them can safely be gone without.

If you think a life like that is unfair to your personal bank account, then instead of asking people for documentation on whether a livable wage, be it $25 an hour or more, is fair maybe you should be asking yourself why seeing people able to afford to live with dignity is such a difficult topic to comprehend cause I can safely say it should not be.

Now, finally, please everyone if this going to be a talking point let’s remember to handle this topic humanely and with grace, thank you.

 

[Brian G.]

All I know is the cost of living keeps going up but the living wage hasn't caught up to its pace.

Just speaking from my Florida experience.,.. A 1-bedroom apartment in Orlando in 2008 was $700 with a minimum wage of about $7. That same apartment was $1800 in 2021 with the minimum wage only going up a $1.25. At least now the minimum wage is starting to go up.

Point is, any of us can throw any type of number for a livable wage - but unless something is, at the minimum, done about the issues (and in most cases, predatory practices) of housing and rent; this is all moot.