Kenversations™
Page 6 of 7

Speaking of Lunch
We get thirty minutes of unpaid lunch time. I try to get my lunch out of the way earlier in my shift, and will usually take it before I take any of my breaks. It isn't unusual for a foreman to have to answer a call and return to lunch later, or wind up taking lunch hours late.

A lot of cast members bring their lunches from home or some place they stopped at along the way, usually keeping them in small coolers. We have access to microwaves and refrigerators. Different departments have bake sales from time to time. There are, of course, sandwiches, meals, and snacks in the vending machines. Finally, there are the backstage eateries, where cast members can congregate to a somewhat fresh meal and watch television - the big game, even. I'll get into more details about the backstage restaurants at another time.

The key thing for this piece is that we have thirty minutes. We call our lunch in to the office, so everyone knows when we start. It isn't like we can sit around backstage and simply tell anyone who comes across us that we're on lunch. I try to get my lunch in when there won't be someone starting his or her shift in my area that I wanted to talk with right from the start, like someone who may be new. There isn't a lot of time to get to the restaurant, get the food, and eat it before it is time to head back.

Tasks in Other Areas
Indy oil clean-ups are one of my least-favorite things about the Adventure / Frontier area. Each area has its own specialized tasks.

Any area with a train station might get called to take care of something on a train, and if they aren't able to make it, the call is passed down the line.

In New Orleans / Critter, a sweeper might ride a Pirate boat for a trip to take care of a call, and the closing foreman need to make sure the Bear Band theaters are swept out when they close, usually at separate times. Sometimes, the ride operators will switch the theater in use so that we can clean.

On Main Street, there are the horses, of course, and parades.

In Tomorrowland, the Imagination Institute is swept out a couple times a day. The foreman responds to calls in Innoventions, usually "biological products" in the Honeywell wall-crawl or on a seat at the GM exhibit. Something about the vibrating seats causes people to lose control.

Some of the other things that may be regularly encountered (some of which I'll write about in later columns):

• Lost children, parents, items, or cast members
• Unsatisfactory cast member performance
• Schedule changes - call-ins, lates, no-shows, injuries or illness, pulls, additions, shift extensions - getting another cast member can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the individual being sent to me
• Special management requests
• Cast member questions, requests, concern, complaints
• Requests for First Aid
• People injuring themselves but declining First Aid
• Failure of the trash compactor
• Inquisitive, confused, upset, unstable, hostile, disruptive, or destructive guests, of many different languages, customs, and dispositions
• Various substances from various life forms (anything and everything, anywhere)
• Food, drink, and candy spills
• Vending carts leaking water, oil (very slippery!), frozen lemonade (very sticky!), etc.
• The rechargeable radio battery dying out - I hope Custodial Central has some others charged
• Low supplies at locker - we trek across the park to get more

I'm probably forgetting a few dozen things. A foreman has to keep in mind such things as Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, Company, Resort, and Department policies, union contracts and rules, etc. Nothing is ever as simple as it first seems! When we don't know something, though, there are plenty of other people to turn to, like the on-duty assistant managers.

Finishing Up, Passing the Radio
The end of my shift draws close. Sometimes, I look back and wonder where the time has gone. Other times, it seems like the day dragged on forever.

Depending on the way the schedule is set up, there will usually be people coming on shortly before the closing lead. I don't write down an assignment on the schedule for these people. I meet them or, if I know them and know they know what to do, leave them a note explaining what they should do, letting them know that the closing foreman will determine their ultimate assignment and the timing of their breaks. If someone has a midshift with a significant portion into the closing lead's shift, I tell them to check back with the closing lead, because they may get moved, and because the closing lead will have authority over when they will take their remaining breaks.

Officially, we have fifteen minutes of paid walking time. However, with all of the hassle and paperwork, opening foremen are notorious for leaving the area a full 30 minutes before their off-time. Time is money to an hourly employee, and most will not do paperwork or anything work related after their walk time begins.

If I'm off at 5, and the closing foreman is on at 4:30, I will try to meet the closing lead face to face and discuss things with them. I make sure they know that I have provided extra copies of the schedule in case the one in use gets too messy. I hand him or her a note with pertinent information, such as ongoing problems, general conditions for the day, etc. The closing lead needs to know if or when the breaker will need more assignments, what breaks are scheduled but not yet assigned coverage, and what potential gaps there are in the schedule.

Ideally, a closing foreman meets me there at this time, taking the radio and keys from me, which I will call the office to transfer to his or her name. Otherwise, I must stop at the office to check them in, or meet the foreman down there. If it is parade time, we have to deal with crossing the parade route. This often delays the arrival of the closing lead.

If it was a 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. shift, and the closing foreman was on at 5, both he and I would have to deal with crossing the parade route during the parade. Fortunately, we don't have to do that today, and he arrives on time. He has his own radio, so I give him the keys and have to take my own radio back to the office.