Mother-in-Law bought family tickets to Medieval Times for tonight, but they're on strike and scabs are doing the show...
Mother-in-Law bought family tickets to Medieval Times for tonight, but they're on strike and scabs are doing the show...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Stand up half way through the show, and scream "everybody remember these are scabs that crossed a picket line!!!!"
And walk out, before they escort you out :p
Original: "everybody remember these are scanned that crossed a pocket line!!!!"
They'd take you straight to a padded cell if you screamed gibberish like that.
In case you edit and I sound like the crazy one, here's what you said to scream:
“everybody remember these are scanned that crossed a pocket line!!!”
Lol didn't spell check sorry.
Amazing how many downvotes these comments are getting.
