Visiting Medieval Times in Lyndhurt, New Jersey has been a favorite family activity for Garden State children for many years.
All is not well in the kingdom, Save Jerseyans.
This week, employees of the iconic Medieval-themed restaurant voted to join the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), an AFL-CIO affiliated labor union.
The employees cited issues including wages that “have failed to keep up” with the industry and Covid-19-related safety issues in a Twitter thread explaining the vote:
Medieval Times has struggled with staffing, security, and safety after reopening from the COVID-19 closure. Additionally, our wages have failed to keep up with those in similar positions in our industry and what is necessary for a living wage in Lyndhurst.
— Medieval Times Performers United (@MTUnitedNJ) June 28, 2022
We enjoy performing for Medieval Times guests, and know that with our union we can foster a more respectful workplace that enhances our experience and that of our guests. We look forward to voting for our union on July 15! https://t.co/gKmEmj07zf
— Medieval Times Performers United (@MTUnitedNJ) June 28, 2022
Read more about our organizing effort in @jamieson's @HuffPost piece: https://t.co/8v8XILaZYU
— Medieval Times Performers United (@MTUnitedNJ) June 28, 2022
If the whole things feels like a Monty Python sketch?
That’s because it kind of is!
There were guilds in Medieval Europe but trade unions were obviously a later development.
Labor unions weren’t legalized in the U.K. until 1872.
On this side of the pond, the first national organization – the “Knights of Labor” – dates to 1869 following the Civil War.
