Am Tote On Strike

[MutuelClerk]

I'm hearing it starts this weekend. Am Tote is about 80% of all tracks if not more. Make sure your pools are defined correctly. The number matches to horse you actually want. And the pool you want is offered. If so, good luck and CRUSH!!!

[AlsoEligible]

did you hear this from a tote worker or just track gossip? either way, it's not true.

[MutuelClerk]

Tote worker. Saw the memo on his phone. Saw the signs. Why do you say it's not true?

[AlsoEligible]

i work for them, and i'm still working this weekend (although I'd love some time off)

truth is that the union and management are in the process negotiating a new deal, and a lot of this is posturing to get the other side to budge. there's no actual work stoppage planned, and it wont come to that. both sides know it would be mutually assured destruction

[MutuelClerk]

Interesting. You were right. Saw our tote guy today. He said they are negotiating still. He's a helluva tote guy on track. Tends to play up the battles a bit. I agree no one wins walking out. He swore a few days ago a strike was on. Thanks for clarifying.

[thespaah]

Mutuel tellers are going to eventually be phased out by machines. Same as toll collectors on roadways.
They are not needed to cash tickets either.
There is a metal scrap yard here that is fully automated.
You cross a scale. And are issued a ticket with the weight of the vehicle. On your way out you weigh again......Another ticket in the form of a voucher is issued. You take the voucher to a station that has a cash machine. You insert the voucher, the machine reads the bar code and spits out the exact amount of cash. No human teller needed.
Back in the day, mutuel tellers had a purpose.
They no longer are needed.
At best, its a low skill job for which slightly over min wage is about it....Bank tellers jobs are more involved. And they get paid less than mutuel tellers. What's up with that?.....

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Mutuel tellers are going to eventually be phased out by machines. Same as toll collectors on roadways.
They are not needed to cash tickets either.
There is a metal scrap yard here that is fully automated.
You cross a scale. And are issued a ticket with the weight of the vehicle. On your way out you weigh again......Another ticket in the form of a voucher is issued. You take the voucher to a station that has a cash machine. You insert the voucher, the machine reads the bar code and spits out the exact amount of cash. No human teller needed.
Back in the day, mutuel tellers had a purpose.
They no longer are needed.
At best, its a low skill job for which slightly over min wage is about it....Bank tellers jobs are more involved. And they get paid less than mutuel tellers. What's up with that?.....

At NYRA's longshot's bar, they have a machine in place of a teller to cash vouchers and withdrawal's.

Not one teller. Zero. Yes, there are some tellers outside the area but not one in the area. Sad.

Bank tellers make less than Mcdonald's employees. Sad as well. They too are being replaced by machines OR universal bankers (who handle all banking-not just teller work)

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

At NYRA's longshot's bar, they have a machine in place of a teller to cash vouchers and withdrawal's.

Not one teller. Zero. Yes, there are some tellers outside the area but not one in the area. Sad.

Bank tellers make less than Mcdonald's employees. Sad as well. They too are being replaced by machines OR universal bankers (who handle all banking-not just teller work)

It's never sad not seeing tellers. The ones who work at tracks these days are mostly old and grumpy, they slow pay you looking for a tip, rarely say you're welcome or thanks for being a customer, I don't miss them at all. The few good ones get a really bad name from many of them.

[MadTiger]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

It's never sad not seeing tellers. The ones who work at tracks these days are mostly old and grumpy, they slow pay you looking for a tip, rarely say you're welcome or thanks for being a customer, I don't miss them at all. The few good ones get a really bad name from many of them.

QFT

Excellent customer service
Bad attitudes

[chiguy]

Don't like jockeys
Don't like trainers
Don't like track announcers
Don't like track management
Don't like mutuel clerks

Really, do you guys like anybody? I have been a part time mutuel clerk for many years as a second job. Just like any other industry there are good people and there are bad people. There are clerks that I have worked with who are super, wonderful people. There are others who could not find a job in any other industry because they are god awful. The job is not hard, nor is it as easy as many of you make it out to be. My overall impression is that most of the bad clerks are just a reflection of the people they have dealt with over the years.

[chiguy]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

It's never sad not seeing tellers. The ones who work at tracks these days are mostly old and grumpy, they slow pay you looking for a tip, rarely say you're welcome or thanks for being a customer, I don't miss them at all. The few good ones get a really bad name from many of them.

Got my own money, don't need yours.

[MonmouthParkJoe]

I used to go to tellers all the time, and yes its been said just like any other job there are some good and some bad. I have mine I like to go to all the time, but I always use a self service machine now. I have gotten to know some of them personally and they add to my experience at the track. Quicker and no lines. I dont see tellers ever being phased out because of the casual fan, but do expect to see fewer of them.

[Dave Schwartz]

Really, do you guys like anybody? I have been a part time mutuel clerk for many years as a second job. Just like any other industry there are good people and there are bad people. There are clerks that I have worked with who are super, wonderful people. There are others who could not find a job in any other industry because they are god awful. The job is not hard, nor is it as easy as many of you make it out to be. My overall impression is that most of the bad clerks are just a reflection of the people they have dealt with over the years.

It is just like dealers in the gaming industry (of which I was one). Crap dealers, who worked in a 4-man crew that split tokes, were all about customer service. If one of them wasn't, the other 3 would be hard on him.

But "split-joints" were different. About 20% of the dealers were just not tip-getters, usually because they lacked personality. About half that many were downright abrasive.

Even worked with a guy once (on a crap crew) who would refuse tips. The rest of the crew told him that he wasn't getting an envelope at the end of the night. He went to management and pitched a fit and they made us cut him in.

[cj]

I've always thought the odds are stacked against us enough in gambling that I don't need to be tipping anyone for doing it. So, I just use machines when I go to the track. The guys that want a tip for cashing out my credit voucher are SOL.

[MonmouthParkJoe]

only time I tip is with a signer, thats it. Some place, like Rillito down here, the tellers actually had tip jars in front of them. I laughed.