February 2023 on a trip to California, Glen Rock’s jazz band and choir witnessed queens, chancellors, knights and squires, all from Medieval Times Dinner And Tournament in Buena Park, CA, on strike. All of them on strike, fighting for better pay and working conditions at their castle.

Take Shaun Carmer, one of many strikers protesting in California. Carmer has been a trumpet player at Medieval Knights for over a decade, 15 years in exact. Workers are paid only $16 an hour, as Carmer stated, for “a skilled job that requires about 6 years minimum of previous experience.”

There aren’t only concerns regarding payment, but also of the safety of those performing. Knights perform and jump off horses for $18.50 an hour, an act that leads to frequent occurring injuries.

On April 20, workers at Medieval Times struck 70 days of strikes, with no intention of stopping. Jake Bowman is a leader in the strikes, having organized a gofundme. They have nearly reached their $50,000 goal.

“They’re just people. They have legitimate complaints about safety and fair pay, and they aren’t being obnoxious about it,” freshman Zachary Yona said. “I donated, because they’re reasonable people with a good cause.”