This summer, my parents were forcing me to grow up by making me get a job. Well I thought the local amusement park would be a lot of fun. I go into Lake Winnie ask for directions to the main office. I get shown up there, after a 5 minute interview I was hired on the spot. Little did I know there was a reason for problems with employment at this amusement park.
I got put as a ride operator. Sounds nice, has a good ring to it. Nice teal green shirt, with stains on it from the last worker that had it. First day they explain to me that I will be working 12 hours that day, 10 to 10. I was on the carrosuel taking tickets. I thought I had it bad then, what I didnt know was carrosuel is one of the easiest rides to work. The next weekend they put me on paddle boats. I’m thinking YES! you know I get to get away from that God awful music and snot nose brats. Well, I was out on a dock for 12 hours straight. Loading people on boats, explaining to people that couldn’t understand english where and where not to go. Pulling boats, unloading boats, handing out life jackets, and yelling at people who couldn’t understand the rules from the git go all at once. It was awful work. Got my fair share of sun. They made me work that ride for 3 weeks.
About this time they start opening to the public through out the week since summer is in full swing. I was working around 55-60 hours a week bringing home about 220$ at minimum wage, which was $5.85 an hour. No Overtime. How’s that you might ask? They get through some loop hole, because its a seasonal job? Whats up with that, right? Oh well its my first job I didn’t really think any thing of it my car payment is only 135$ a month, that leaves me with a lot of pocket money. Then after I start proving myself not complaining being on the paddle boats, they start putting me on more technical rides. Pipeline plunge, paratrooper, bumper cars, frog hopper. Just kept working my way up. Soon I knew 8-9 rides.
They started thinking of me as a good employee. They asked me to come in on tuesday since a reliever couldn’t make it. This tuesday was my birthday. I told them I would do it. I showed up it was only 8-4 cleaning rides. Wednesday came and we had 5 people quit. Three relievers and two ride operators. They pulled me off my ride and they said we have a deal for you since you took care of us on tuesday we will take care of you. You are going to be relieving today, do a good job and you will be permanent. Of course I said yes. These are the people that walk around the park all fat and happy and have it made right? Relieving was the worst choice I ever made.
My relieving experience. Relievers run a tight schedule. They get there 2 hours before opening to clean rides(8-10) (im also working 14 hour days now). 10 – 8, the team of relievers about 5 of us are filling up water bottles, water jugs, for all the ride operators, and sorting them into sections. Then delivering them. After that comes ice towels, and then a book that ride operators have to sign to acknowledge that a trained individual is on the ride. If we get everything done before 12 we get a short break. 30 minute breaks start at 12. Depending on how many people they are short you will have 3-4 breaks. Thats still an hour and a half to 2 hours running rides. Your supposed to do your breaks then everyone do water again. Then that sets you back for 15 minute breaks at 2. So breaks start at 20 after 2. Then water again. Ice towels again. On 12 hour days this is where we get to take a break on 10 hour days you dont because 30s start at 6 then 15s at 8. That leaves you with 2 breaks a day, if your lucky. There is so much to do to shut down the rides as well. Have to go around shut off all the lights, clean up trash. Get ticket bags, water bottles, ice towels. Weigh and shred the tickets. Guess what? We still get paid minimum wage. I walk by the guy at antique cars thats sitting in a plastic chair turning a stop sign getting paid the same ammount as I do.
By the end of the Summer I knew how to run every ride on the Southside of the park. Made 3,000$ gross. Met a lot of cute girls. I also grew up A LOT, yes my parents idea worked. Realized how cruel and selfless people can be even when they are at an amusement park with their family. I grew a backbone, by learning to take up for myself, stand up lay down the rules, and being able to kick grown men that were behaving like children off rides. Just to show you that our labor laws dont cover all that they should. Lake Winnie also has 15 year olds working 12 – 14 hours under the table, under minimum wage. They do not treat their employees well, by making us pay almost full price for way marked up food ( you know how amusement parks are). An after all my hard work and dedication, I missed 2 days out of 3 months working there. When I came back from those 2 days, I put in my weeks notice, and I cant even put them on a job application.
