She bought the tickets without knowing about the strike. We accepted the gift without knowing about the strike.
She’s a Republican and still wants to go and cross the picket line. She doesn’t care.
My wife understands my hesitancy, but says that it’s too late, and so we have to go regardless.
The kids are really looking forward to it.
I just feel so horrible. But I have to go with them.
What can I do to make amends?
Watching scabs preforming at Medieval Times sounds horrible.
I know, at dinner you always want the regular knight shift.
The scabs are joust in case.
We shall see. I shook hands with the strikers outside and said I was sorry, and that I would donate to the strike fund. My kids were really looking forward to this and are too excited.
The kids saw the strikers outside? May be a good teaching moment so something personally positive comes out of it.
So, there were about six strikers outside, two with signs. I let the family go through because I didn’t want to cause a scene with my in-laws, and I stayed back and talked with the strikers.
They recommended we go to the Pirate Adventure dinner theater instead, and I explained the situation, and said I would donate to the strike fund. We shook hands and I went and joined the family. The strikers seemed to understand the situation.
Apparently the scabs are from other non-union Medieval Times locations (trained etc.) so the show was a “normal” show.
But still, I couldn’t enjoy myself because the guilt just was too heavy.
Donating to the strike fund was a brilliant way of evening out the impact. You weren’t attending out of choice anyway but I hope your donation eases your conscience nonetheless.
Wear a pro-union shirt or go in with a sign. No need to fight with your family, because your family isn’t really the problem at hand right now.
When enders game came out there was a big issue about the author of the books bring very homophobic because of his religion. I made a donation for the same price as the tickets to a pro LGBTQ+ org and still went. If your MIL gets snarky just put the donation under her name and put her email in. I would do that the next day so there is no fight and it messes up the kids time.
Perfect! Thats the plan!
Donate to the union fund, and give the scab performance a one star review on Google maps
i went during the strike not realizing it, and there were signs saying you could get a refund afterwards if you ask. more importantly: bring ear protection, my watch was measuring 90+ decibels for an hour+.
What watch has ongoing decibel measuring?
The Apple Watch does.
I think it’s reasonable to go reluctantly. I think it’s also reasonable to politely decline to attend. Tell your wife and in-laws to enjoy themselves, but politely explain that attending would violate your deeply held beliefs.
We all run into these kinds of situations occasionally. Turning down a meal due to dietary restrictions, refusing to perform an action due to a religious obligation, etc. Ideally, your wife should understand, and your in-laws don’t need to. It really depends what your wife is willing to support.
She’s a Republican and still wants to go and cross the picket line. She doesn’t care.
Get her tickets to a drag show. If she doesn’t go, then you know there’s a double-standard, and you can decline future invitations using her same excuse.
I don’t want problems with my mother-in-law. She’s been respectful of my politics for the past 20 years. No sense in ruining the relationship now.
But you do realise that this particular scenario is her not being respectful of your politics, right?
We actually talked about it on the way home (she started the topic)… she said she felt bad for the strikers, but she was already committed to bringing the family and the kids were so excited about it and she didn’t want to let them down.
So she does have a conscience. It’s just not as important to her to support the strikers as it is to try to give the family a fun time.
We also talked about how only the Buena Park location is on strike and even the New Jersey location (which is also union) isn’t on strike, which is weird. And how the other locations aren’t supporting their fellow workers and how that sucks too. If the company isn’t hurting, a strike isn’t going to do anything except prove to the company and non-union employees that the union has no power.
We talked about how these aren’t just actors, they’re skilled horsemen and animal caretakers and that deserves more than just $18/hour. She agreed.
It was actually a good teaching moment for us to talk to her peacefully about union solidarity etc. and she at least thought about it for once.
So it all turned out ok. Relationships intact, conversations were had without fighting. Which is all I can ask for in this day and age.
But drag shows are so much fun ! Last year I got to go backstage with a couple of drag queens from Canada’s drag race and one of them fake murdered me on stage to the Keshia sound cannibal
That’s rad.
Can the tickets be changed to a later date?
It’s not too late. Stick to your guns and refuse to go. Make Grandma take the kids herself while you and the wife stay home and enjoy some alone time.
All things considered, I realize you have to pick your battles where in-laws are concerned, so good luck. If you don’t put your foot down with her now though, when will you, if ever?
I can’t really think of any way to make amends to the employees on strike. Maybe go back later with some snacks and water or something, but at the end of the day, if you go to the show, you’re prioritizing your shitty mother-in-law’s lack of compassion and morals over workers making a decent wage/benefits.
You’re right. It sucks.
Give a donation to the picketers, maybe same or more than the tickets. Don’t need to make a point about it, but talk to kids and wife.
That sounds like what we’ll have to do. We can make a donation to the strike fund here:
I think you have a good compromise of donating to their cause. Personally I wouldn’t have gone and had a talk with my kids about the importance of standing up for your beliefs (and sorry if you want to go anyway, you’re not old enough to drive). Even if the money’s been spent I wouldn’t go as it still hurts the moral of strikers and reinforces the scabs decision to cross the line.
There’s always the explosive diarrhea excuse.
Or see how long it takes to get kicked out for proselytizing to the other patrons about the strike.
Whatever you do, at least look the strikers in the eyes as you walk past.
I shook hands with the strikers outside and said I was sorry, and that I would donate to the strike fund. My kids were really looking forward to this and are too excited.
Good on you. I’m looking forward to the performance quality update.
Apparently the scabs are from other non-union Medieval Times locations (trained etc.) so the show was a “normal” show. No mishaps or anything, which is fine, I don’t want anyone to get hurt.
Lighting was normal but sound was atrocious. Just too loud and too hard to understand the queen and her counselor and what their whole banter was about.
Food was good.
Me too.
What can I do to make amends?
Be a good person, try to do the right thing, be a positive influence in the world
That’s a really long way to say “stink bomb.”
What kind of scabs do you hire for a jousting tournament?
Med time people from other non-union locations. It’s been reported the scabs are getting a higher rate, hotel, and other per diem benefits. On top of bringing in green people who haven’t done a horse tumble.
Oof. Hope they get workers comp too.
Insurance, in America? No, when the ambulance leaves the arena, Modern Times begin.
Hungry actors from the country who didn’t make it big in Hollywood?
Seriously though, I’m actually kind of interested in how much training and OSHA and insurance there is in this business to start with.
As for OP, you can do a bunch of things to support their strike, probably. Tell people you know this is happening and why it’s a problem, leave the business a review on Google about it with whatever rating you desire, email the union and donate to any strike fund pool they might have. Even an hour of your wages/time spent helping them out will likely be of greater value than the percentage of the ticket price they would have received from you. And I’m sure they’ll be excited to know someone other than themselves cares enough to do something to support them.
Edit: and you also get to show your kids how to constructively collaborate on solutions to social problems. Which would probably be cool for them to see too.
Amazing how many downvotes these comments are getting.
