Ryder Cup - volunteers exploited

[Jacko_G]

Pretty sad state of affairs however hardly surprising given it's all about profit.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/ryder-cup-chiefs-accused-exploiting-14165617

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

Probably depends on the definition of exploited, but it seems unlikely personally. If those volunteers worked behind the till for each morning (as an example) and then got to watch the afternoons golf for free each day, then I would imagine many were pretty happy. Free tickets which weren't easy to get hold of or cheap, in return for working on a till sounds like a good deal for many particularly if you couldn't afford it. Don't you often get to keep certain official merchandise as well - I thought that was the case for Open volunteers as I recall some nice Boss jackets.

 

[Hobbit]

No one forced them to take the job, and having been allocated a job behind the till they could have just said thanks but I'm off. However, bearing in mind how much money events like this now make, and how much players receive for playing in The Open, I don't think it should be a volunteer position anymore.

 

[Slab]

I kinda agree with the article. Of all the roles a volunteer can do to help a golf event run smoothly, manning a cash-desk to directly help profits shouldn't be one of them

Also, how would you feel handing over your credit card in tesco if you knew the person on the till was just volunteering for the weekend? Me? I kinda want direct traceable accountability when I use a card, so these people should be employed staff

 

[Jacko_G]

I think in general the Ryder Cup is just a corporate animal used to generate vast amounts of cash globally.

Golf is almost the side show now.

Personally I find watching it can be cringeworthy at best now.

 

[duncan mackie]

I kinda agree with the article. Of all the roles a volunteer can do to help a golf event run smoothly, manning a cash-desk to directly help profits shouldn't be one of them

Also, how would you feel handing over your credit card in tesco if you knew the person on the till was just volunteering for the weekend? Me? I kinda want direct traceable accountability when I use a card, so these people should be employed staff

You shouldn't hand over your card, ever - full stop. Tesco staff are trained, like all others who get trained, not to touch your card.

 

[patricks148]

I'd agree, you wouldn't be happy if you had volunteered in the hope of seeing some golf while helping out, being stuck behind a till in a tent somewhere isn't and shouldn't.

they should pay people to work the tills, mind you helping out in the bar would be ok, though id prop get sacked in a few hours

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

I wouldn't necessairly dispute that the roles should be paid given the profits generated but then I think it's also a case of be careful what you wish for, nor do I really get the disinction with shop and other roles (litter picking, programme selling, stewarding) which should all be treated similar.

If they made the roles a standard shop employment, then I'd expect they'd "employ" fewer people as they'd expect them to work the whole day in the shop/retail area for the whole event rather than training and providing a uniform for more people. It would also mean that it may become of interest to more than golfers as people will rightly see it as a job. Nor would you expect them to get free tickets/time to watch the golf as then their pay would be very out of kilter with that traditional role.

All of a sudden, you've basically removed an avenue for people to get to experience of an event they potentially wouldn't be able to unless they volunteered in return for creating one week minimum wage jobs (although there is an argument this also benefits an area hosting). Yes, in this case we're talking about an event that's not in the same area very often, but the same would apply to the Open as an example.

Slightly of tangent, but I remember senior people at my work volunterring for roles at the Olympics to be part of that experience even though they were relatively standard roles. It just shows the draw these events have for people.

 

[duncan mackie]

I'd agree, you wouldn't be happy if you had volunteered in the hope of seeing some gold while helping out, being stuck behind a till in a tent somewhere isn't and shouldn't.

they should pay people to work the tills, mind you helping out in the bar would be ok, though id prop get sacked in a few hours

Going to see more gold working on the tills that walking the course surely🤔

 

[patricks148]

Going to see more gold working on the tills that walking the course surely🤔

good spot, though i doubt much gold on show either, £50 notes for a crap shirt maybe

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It has grown over the years, I first volunteered at the German Open in the eighties and the last one was Gleneagles.
Initially it was no more than walking with a flight carrying the scoreboard or doing the press tent etc to Gleneagles were it was manning a radio in the event control room.
Modern events provide a list of roles for volunteers and you “pick” which role you believe you are most suited or comfortable with.
Medinah/Gleneagles had volunteers in every role from driving official cars for the teams to selling programmes in a booth.
The most you did on shift was 4 hours in a day.
The clothing at both Medinah and Gleneagles wasn’t free you paid for it, it was reduced, but certainly not cheap and if you wanted extra you paid extra.
I see both sides of this, the exploitation is wrong, but all the organisers will do is raise the ticket price.