by Art Hershey
(Former senior manager for 15 years with the Los Angeles Turf Club, operator of Santa Anita Park.)

In the spring of l979, a strike called against all Thoroughbred racing facilities in California imperiled the very future of the sport in the Golden State.  The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) who represented the pari-mutuel wagering tellers, and still do, initiated the walkout.  There were no off-track wagering sites in those days.  Racing locally was scheduled at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.

The management of Hollywood Park chose to ignore the threats of a strike as well as the urgings for proactive actions by the managements of the other tracks.  Hollywood’s CEO, Marge Everett, believed they could employ replacements on short notice and maintain “normal” operations without significant disruption to fan enjoyment.

Such optimism was soon to founder in its own bad judgment.  The strike occurred.  Almost overnight, the park attracted large numbers of replacement workers.  They were given no directions on procedures or operations.  They were thrown into the breach of open wagering windows to face thousands of anxious fans eager to place their bets.  It became a near disaster of monstrous proportions.  Mass confusion coupled with long lines for access to the windows, infuriated virtually all of the race goers.

To compound the problem, the Money Room, center for cash flow operations, became the most vulnerable.  It, too, was staffed with complete novices.  Virtually as much money marched out the back door of the room as that which flowed in the front door.  Poorly prepared or untrained replacements took full advantage of the confusion and relieved Hollywood Park of its need for fiscal controls by magically making significant amounts of money disappear.  The strike, and the accompanying agony, lasted five, long and arduous weeks.

To this day no one is prepared to even estimate the impact of financial loss to that facility over three decades ago.  Due to that major failing, the tracks began to prepare in earnest for future strike eventualities at union contract ending dates.

In late April of l992 it was Hollywood’s turn to host the racing schedule.  Coincidentally, the multi-year agreement with the SEIU was drawing to a close.  Inexplicably, Marge Everett once again chose to turn a blind eye to the inevitable.  She chose not to prepare.  It was as though the biting lessons of 13 years before had been completely lost in the flourish and roar of the calls to the post and fan cheers as horse dashed down the homestretch to finish line.

This time circumstances were different from those of over a decade before.  The managements of other racing facilities, led by Santa Anita, mounted a massive campaign to replace all union track workers in southern California.  This now included nearly a dozen off-track wagering facilities whose organization did not exist in l979.

The strategy called for identifying, selecting and training some 2,000 people to fill a wide variety of service jobs from food service to admissions to security, etc.  They would handle all non-wagering jobs at the race track alone.  Another 2,000 replacements were required for all of the pari-mutuel wagering operations from the fairgrounds in Santa Maria on the north to similar betting outlets as far south as the Mexican border.  Many of the 2,000 would be assigned to work directly at Hollywood Park.

It was this latter group of 2,000 souls who presented a problem.  All new tellers had to be not only selected, but had to pass a 15-hour class of training on the wagering machines and money-handling practices.  They also needed to pass reference checks and be cleared by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to receive a state license.

A cadre of approximately 50 to 60 employees from several tracks and off-track wagering locations throughout southern California were carefully chosen to become interviewers or trainers or both.  The new team received intensive exposure to rapid interviewing techniques as well as effective training procedures.

Overall more than 9,000 applicants were processed for the 2,000 vacancies. Why would so many people surface for jobs that were not considered permanent in nature.  There were dozens of reasons.  Most of the applicants were simply great lovers of horses.  From childhood they dreamed of horse ownership, or to be a jockey, or to feed and groom these magnificent competitors.  They felt the charm and allure of the Sport of Kings.  Of course there were others who turned out because they saw the potential for a new career in an exciting setting.

Economic times were not the best.  It did not hurt the recruitment to have significant numbers of former bank tellers available in the labor market.  They had been victims of reductions in banking industry employment roles at that time.  Additionally, people of all callings are enchanted by the strength and drive that horses exhibit.  And 9,000 stalwarts turning out almost overnight proved the point.

A carefully drawn questionnaire was developed to use by the interviewer for each person.  Face-to-face time was limited to only five minutes to facilitate movement for the large turnout of aspiring tellers.  Some 2,200 teller trainees were selected and put through the near week-long course of study.  Week by week, new classes opened and closed with highly successful results.  Just over 2,000 trainees passed muster and were licensed by the CHRB.

The teller project was organized to run for a very optimistic and seemingly impossible goal of eight weeks.  This included advertising, scheduling interviews, conducting interviews, reference checking, scheduling and conducting training and completing licensing procedures by the CHRB.

Although scheduled for eight weeks, it was accomplished in seven weeks with non-stop operations day and night.  It was a heretofore unheard of achievement.

Sure enough, the union flexed its muscles and struck just as Hollywood Park opened its gates for the Spring/Summer Race Meeting.  The fans did not seem to care.  They crossed picket lines in great numbers and bet with equal enthusiasm.  They were thrilled with the outstanding service provided by this novice hoard of new tellers who were friendly, courteous and surprisingly very accurate.  The effort to secure and use these tellers was a complete success.

In fact, many scores of union tellers decided to defy strike orders from their union and crossed lines to work.  Most of the Money Room personnel also crossed over each day to help keep the operations going at peak efficiency.

This program broke the back of the strike in just under two weeks.  And, you know, Marge Everett never did call to even say “thank you”.

The union tellers did return to work.  Most of the replacements never did return, but a significant number persevered to qualify eventually for union membership.  Some have even gained enough seniority to achieve regular work status.

The vast majority of fans never knew what occurred to keep service at the top of its form.  For those of us behind the scenes, “the other athletes”, knew how to create a winning scenario.  In all candor, the recall of the sequence of events is most vivid.  I was Director of Human Resources and Community PR for Santa Anita Park at the time.  I was chosen to design and implement the replacement program.  Needless to say we were all proud of the teamwork and success of the efforts put forth by so many.  Even the fans were heard to give a small cheer!

And for the Thoroughbreds…….well, they just kept throwing back their feed and smiled.
But, that’s the subject of a whole new story.