For an update on this matter, go to:
Updated 10/4/18! As of now, there is no In-Seat Beer Vending in Fiserv Forum per the Bucks demand! It has been reported to Drinks In The Seats® that the Milwaukee Bucks do not want any in-seat vending thus the “Beer Vendors” are restricted to selling in carts on the concourses. At least one of those vendors who worked the arena’s first preseason basketball game as well as many years vending (in the seats) in the former arena says that not being to vend in the seats “will kill us!”.
An organized protest/rally is being considered for the return of In-Seat Beer Vending during Bucks games. It’s not just for the workers, but it’s also for the fans!
The arena is scheduled to open in a little over a month. The new arena’s concessionaire, Levy Restaurants which was also the concessionaire in the BMO Harris Bradley Center is not automatically carrying any of their old arena in-seat vendors (non-union BTW) over to the new arena! They’re making everyone re-apply for their jobs. Above all that, it had been reported to Drinks In The Seats that there might not be in-seat vending right away, and no one knows when? Not only that, but there is also some confusion about whether these new arena in-seat vendors will be paid on a commission (it’s dumb to pay a commission vendor hourly) or not?
Yes, one would think that the concession workers moving over would really be given a “heads up” as to exactly what their job would be like in comparison to the old arena. Where their locker rooms will be? Everything! But no, until recently, the in-seat vendors from the Bradley Center were not told anything! Just to “re-apply” like they never vended at a Bucks arena before!
Needless to say, the preparation for the start of this new arena has relatively been a mess.
For one, where are the naming rights? Two, the concessionaire just 10 days ago posted a job opportunity for the position of General Manager for the new arena (wow, that’s being prepared). Three, a possible monkey wrench may still be present with this whole hiring process, and that is this partnership that the Bucks have previously created with a group called Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Organization https://mashworkers.org/ . It’s an organization that will recruit, train & place workers at jobs at the new arena. Yet another requirement is that half of these “jobs” at the new Bucks arena must come from a select group of residents living in low income Milwaukee zip codes AND IN ADDITION, employers in the arena district must hire through this said organization. What many would finally recall about this arrangement is that all jobs here would start at $12.50 an hour (there’s that hourly rate again) and be moved up to $15.00 an hour by the year 2023. This could be the snag as to why the fate of would be in-seat vendors is up in the air right now.
There were approximately 5 to 7 established in-seat beer vendors in the old arena who worked off of commission and made money as to how much they sold.
Fiserv Forum