No More Trainer Hazard Pay

[chiamarie]

According to this article, trainers won't be getting hazard pay anymore. They got it because of the dangers working in the water with the large animals.

I think (even though the article metions something about if they ever do water work again....) this is a pretty good implication that the trainers probably won't be in the water with them again.


http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/bu...nd-pay-premium-for-killer-whale-trainers.html

 

[gardener14]

It's interesting that the article brings up the notion of the whale trainers being poorly paid (which SeaWorld denies). During my last visit, I actually thought about that, but I surmised that the whale trainers must be very highly paid, not because of the rigors of their job, but because the whales are SeaWorld's most recognizable image...they are the stars. I assumed that an image so highly regarded by the public and highly protected by the owners would go hand in hand with higly paid people who work with and care for them. It looks like I might have been wrong. I never thought about the idea that having people waiting in line for that job would create no need for high pay. If true, it's unfortunate, because they work amazingly hard and are truly multitalented people.

 

[chiamarie]

Working in the field of zoology in general, anyone who works with any of the animals (not just the trainers) get paid very well at seaworld, in comparison to other zoo's and aquariums.

But when it comes to the general public, and you compare what they're paid to anyone else. They don't get paid much at all, because of the reasons you stated.

 

[KBF]

They have never ruled it out. I would imagine they eliminated it for the time being. There is no sense in paying trainers extra for getting in the water when they cant get in the water at this time.

 

[gardener14]

There is no sense in paying trainers extra for getting in the water when they cant get in the water at this time.

The article states that the hazard pay is being rolled into the standard pay for existing trainers, so it's not as though they are paying them less. New hires will not receive the hazard pay, but it's anyone's guess as to whether their base pay will reflect the new base pay of existing trainers or be significantly less.

I think this is more about the contradiction seen in offering hazard pay while countering the bad publicity following the trainers death, than it is about saving money.

 

[Metro West]

I'm going to move this to the Community Board since it has nothing to do with trip planning.