year’s schedule was highlighted by the strong performance of the Magnum at the San Diego County Fair. The mega-sized de- vice was the third highest grossing attraction on that midway.”


2014 & 2015:


Domestic Labor Shortage The Netherlands-manufactured Magnum was, once more,


the headline amusement for Wood Entertainment in more ways than solely its footprint. It scored the fourth spot, gross-wise, at the Del Mar Fair. During Michael’s Season 2015, tenure as the OABA’s Chief Executive, he dealt, extensively, with the lack of employees, plus related difficulties that the industry has long suffered from. Quoting MCW from ’15, “(Michael spent) a lot of time traveling to Washington (D.C.) as the long fight continues with the U.S. Department of Labor over the issue of equal pay for both interna- tional and domestic workers. Carnivals tend to pay internationals higher wages compared with American


compared with Americans because they’re harder workers and more dependab om li


harder workers and more dependable, their employers say.” Botto


(the Feds) don’t realize is the (US) labor pool is


t realize is th


Still and all, Michael hasn’t surrendered, tot


pool is crap’,” Michael lamented to CW Stil all and all, Mich


s crap’,” Micha a l


cha


to ally anyway, on the hopes of securing U.S. help. With regularity, he advertises, ally every winter off-season within San Antonio Express-News daily pub-s daily pub- lication, seeking qualified applicants. His ads specify what the job entails, salary with potential overtime to be earned and f the staffers. According


totally anyway, on the hopes of securing U.S. help. Wi practical e S


hael ha n t


Sa


urre f


ith regularity, he advertises,


practically every winter off-season within the San Antonio li


o Express-News l


lication, seeking qualified applicants. His ads specify what the job entails, salary with potential overtime to be earned and what’s expected of the staffers. Accordingwhat’s expected of to Michael, an additional thorn in the midway business is “...(the)... carnival


to Michael, an additional thorn in the side of thef


side of the midway business is “...(the)... public’s misconception of thef business dating to the days of P


public’s misconception of the carnival business dating to the days of


(which) certainly doesn’t help,” quoted MCW M W “During one of his...trips to the nation’s capital, Wood met with an executive from the Department of Homeland Security,


(which) certainly doesn’t help,” quoted “During one of hisf


W. MCW continued, CW continued,


with an executive from the Department of Homeland Security another government agency tied to the H-2B (worker) visa program. The man had a law enforcement background ...Wood asked the official what comes to mind when he thinks of (carnival workers.) Lawlessness and criminal backgrounds was his reply’,” MCW cited Michael as recollecting. During a 2010 visit with this scribe, Michael elaborated further upon this issue. “The most challenging part of the business is a good, reliable source of labor. We have a two-fold problem; we’re fightin’ a little bit of stigma and stereotype and we also fight (rough labor) conditions. The challenge for us to meet now is to improve the conditions to a level that will allow us to at- tract and retain a better employee,” reasoned Michael. Michael then offered the following suggestions. Again citing from this writer’s 2010 interview, “That’s why the H-2B has been a short-term fix to what we’re doing but if we don’t improve the conditions under (which) we exist, and I’m talking about hours, living accommodations (and the sites) for our living accommo- dations...if we don’t improve those things and get this closer


...trips to the nation’s capital, Wood met f


nother government agency tied to the H-2B (worker) visa n had a law enforcement background ...Wood mind when he thinks of ckgrounds was


18  OABA ShowTime Magazine | NOVEMBER 2022 f P.T. Barnum Barnum


to what mainstream society does, we’re gonna have trouble retaining even our H-2B guys. The best ones are gonna move on to somethin’ better and we’ll be in the same boat as we were with domestic labor,” Michael foretold. Yet, the government of- ficial’s response provided Michael the opportunity to point out why he’s so devoted to alleviating the United States’ lack-of- carnival-worker dilemma. “‘You know now the very reason why I’m very involved with this effort’, Wood told the DHS Exec. For South (Africans), we’re spending $3,000 a head for transporta- tion and visa costs. Do the quick math and it gets expensive. We’re left with people who desire an itinerant lifestyle. I want to get rid of the myth you just described to me’,” quoted MCW as Michael explained to the government rep. To Michael’s mind, upon the other hand, “‘...the responsibility falls on carnival owners to do a better job of taking care of their employees. We treat our staff like a commodity... ...instead we need to treat them as an asset, like stock at a bank. We’re in the people business’,” professed Michael to MCW. A significant concern for Michael, was the rising diesel costs of that era. As reported by MCW, “What you do today must count (profit-wise), there is no more practicing,” Michael stressed. Related to this truism is the


to what mainstream society does, we’re gonna have trouble retaining even our H-2B guys. The best ones are gonna move on to somethin’ better and we’ll be in the same boat as we were with domestic labor,” Michael foretold. Yet, the government of- ficial’s response provided Michael the opportunity to point out why he’s so devoted to alleviating the United States’ lack-of- carnival-worker dilemma. “‘You know now the very reason why I’m very involved with this effort’, Wood told the DHS Exec. For icans), we’re spending $3,000 a head for transporta- h quick math and it gets expensive. rant lifestyle. I want d


hael lamented to MCW asn’t su


he (U ) l b nte


ende ered,


ns be auecause they’re da le,


e


their employers say.” Bottom line, the fed- eral government “‘thinks we’re to


eral government “‘thinks we’re too lazy to hire American workers, Wood sa ( e Feds) don’t


hire American workers, Wood said. What (th


ine, the fe t o lazy to aid. Whatha ( S) labor


W.


ed- t


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