Recent Teleconference Minutes

[Brad Patterson]

Sounds like there might be a little labor issue brewing regarding the shoots this summer. When the shoot was in Waukesha, especially the last 5 years we didn’t have labor issues. We got hooked up with a school and set up a payment system that benifited the student athletes while at the same time contributed to the success of the shoot.

We set up a base wage (higher than what you pay currently) and then created bonus to enhance their overall pay. The bonuses where tied to the entire team, that way it was a great self policing thing. If one screwed up, broke the rules, it affected all the workers from the school. Our final payment per athlete (we also had parents work who got the same amount of pay, plus they were great for additional supervision) was $325. Then two bonuses at $75 each to get to total of $475 for the week.  (still underpaid when you consider their length of day , being out in the elements, importance of their job plus compare it to the folks who squad and cashier and make more money to sit in an air conditioned pod all week.

We had 6 rules we put in place . Be on time. Give best effort. Be polite and curtious. Don’t punch center out of targets. Don’t stick your head out of the traphouse.  Break anyone of those 5 rules , one bonus went bye-bye. The 6th rule was simple. You must work every day of the shoot for the whole time each day.  Made for better help and more efficent shoot plus you get over the training early in week so they are their best end of week for the bigger and most important events.

When the kids work, let’s say the football team.  each fall, the team had a mini camp held at a college facility, plus a sports fee and team workout clothes. Let’s say that came to $200, that still put a check into the athletes hand for $275. A win-win. Parents liked it as the kids worked for something and kids liked it as they got a little money in their pocket.

You can break it down how ever you want. If you want to do a fundraiser for football, 200 bucks to team and 275 bucks to the athlete. Just an example. but you must put some cash in the athletes pocket, lets face it, they aren’t going to work for free.

The kids during the week do the most important job and to a great degree control the integrity of the shoot. I think they should get more as I feel they are under paid. Remember, you do get what you pay for. Maybe if the coaches from the school see this they’ll see an option that might work and help with your labor issues.

[Amy Jenkins]

Brad –

I really appreciate you posting this information.  I have a few questions, if you can answer them or email me, I would really appreciate it.  Were the funds paid to the school or directly to the kids?  If they were paid directly to the kids, were work permits completed and was there worker’s comp insurance?  If it was paid to the school and the kids were considered volunteers, did the school have the liability waiver?  Did any money go to the athletic programs or it was all paid directly to the “workers”?  Also, I never shot at Waukesha…how many traps were there and how many workers did you have each day of the state shoot?

Thanks for the information!

Amy

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