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Worlds of Fun reaches contract with maintenance workers after they threatened to strike

Maintenance workers at Worlds of Fun, members of SEIU Local 1, rallied in front of the park on Oct. 8, 2024, demanding a fair contract. The group voted to authorize a strike when negotiations stalled.
Savannah Hawley-Bates
/
KCUR 89.3
Maintenance workers at Worlds of Fun, members of SEIU Local 1, rallied in front of the park on Oct. 8, 2024, demanding a fair contract. The group voted to authorize a strike when negotiations stalled.

The maintenance workers who keep the rollercoasters running safely at Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City have a new contract after months of negotiations.

Members of the Service Employees International Union Local 1 overwhelmingly voted to ratify the contract Wednesday. The workers have been seeking a new deal since their previous one expired in February 2024.

Although they authorized a strike earlier this month, the workers never ended up forming a picket line.

The three-year contract guarantees annual raises, increased paid leave, life insurance, profit-sharing retirement options, and a minimum of 10 hours of rest time between shifts. Workers will receive retroactive pay for the hours they worked during the months-long negotiation process.

Worlds of Fun's maintenance workers include electricians, painters, mechanics and carpenters. They are in charge of facility upkeep — including inspecting and repairing rides — at both the theme park and its sister water park Oceans of Fun.

Worlds of Fun is owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, which merged with fellow amusement park operator Cedar Fair earlier this year and now oversees 42 parks across North America. Representatives for the company did not respond to requests for comment.

Don Kincaid has worked as a carpenter at Worlds of Fun for 11 years and sat on the bargaining committee for the new contract. Although he says negotiations were “a bit rocky at first,” he’s excited about what the group agreed on.

“I think it's very likely the best contract we've ever had,” Kincaid said. “We worked hard and everybody put out. I think that good contract is going to serve the guests the most because having a well-staffed and well-trained crew is how we keep the rides up and keep them safe.”

Duke Dujakovich is the president of the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO. He spoke at the rally on Oct. 8, 2024, in support of the Worlds of Fun maintenance workers. He said the workers would have the support of the roughly 90,000 AFL-CIO members in the area throughout the process.
Savannah Hawley-Bates
/
KCUR 89.3
Duke Dujakovich is the president of the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO. He spoke at the rally on Oct. 8, 2024, in support of the Worlds of Fun maintenance workers. He said the workers would have the support of the roughly 90,000 AFL-CIO members in the area throughout the process.

Workers say the contract stalled in part because park management wanted to reduce the scope of maintenance work and hire additional subcontractors, who are typically paid more than regular employees.

Those new subcontracting proposals were left out of the final contract, although subcontractors for specialized jobs, like major rebuilds on the coasters, are still allowed.

In her three years at Worlds of Fun, lead painter Jenny Espinosa says she’s been the only woman in maintenance. At a rally held by the union following their strike vote, Espinosa said she believes increased pay and protections in the contract will attract more diverse employees.

“It's hard for women in the trades,” Espinosa said. “More diversity would help not only me, but I think it would help the guys. There's a whole spectrum of people that do not work here.”

Every morning, Kincaid walks the track of its wooden coasters like the Prowler, Timber Wolf and Zambezi Zinger. He’s part of a six-person crew that ensures every screw is in place and that the attractions are safe to ride — a job that takes at least three hours to complete.

“We take safety seriously,” Kincaid said. “We're out there climbing a couple hundred feet every day.”

Maintenance workers at the park say they’ve been understaffed for years. Worlds of Fun has employed around 50 maintenance workers for the past few years; SEIU says a safe staffing level is at least 80.

Kincaid said a lot of their crew left or retired during the start of the pandemic. He hopes the new contract entices more people to not only join but also stay on long enough to keep up the park’s institutional knowledge.

Kincaid says the new contract convinced him to stay at Worlds of Fun, instead of leaving for another skilled trade job.

“As good a job as it is, it can be replaced,” Kincaid said. “Some of the changes we made in the contract are going to make everybody feel better about their job and stay longer. I feel much more secure now and I believe that anybody else we bring in in the future is going to have that feeling also.”

Copyright 2024 KCUR 89.3

Savannah Hawley-Bates
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