Unemployment in the US amusements industry is approximately 40 per cent, says Pete Gustafson, executive director of trade association AAMA.
It was a point made by Gustafson (pictured) and a team from the American Amusement Machine Association during a virtual lobbying visit to the US Congress in Washington on Thursday of last week.
The unemployment rate in the amusement industry, he said, compared unfavourably with a national rate of eight-to-nine per cent.
The "trip" to Washington was organised by lobbyists on behalf of the association and about 35 AAMA members attended the virtual meeting that also included representation from the AMOA, the operators’ association, and IATP, the organisation representing the trampoline industry.
They drove home the point that they did not want future stimulus funding tied to the payroll because some operators could not reopen and could bring back their employees at all under the current circumstances.
One contributor, Beth Standlee of TrainerTainment, argued at the meeting that there could be a potential loss of 50 per cent of locations without financial assistance.
They met with senators from ten states.
