Quoted from pinchamp:Total garbage. Interesting article from 2014 perhaps some evidence to your ignorance of the truth:
"One thing Wastler and Gannon discovered while making their new "Made Right Here" video: Stern employees like what they do. Turnover is low at the pinball company, and some employees have been there for upwards of 40 years."
Hardly sounds like people being treated like slaves. As stated already.. Buying a machine is supporting the workplace not something to feel "guilty" about.
Here's what I know about it:
-We've seen videos of Gary taking time to tell the factory staff about awards they've won for best games or best manufacturers
-Gary speaks often of the pressure that every decision they make affects hundreds of jobs. That weighs on him, and why they don't just turn everything on a dime or whim of our pinside posts.
-A pinsider bumped into one of the factory ladies out in public, she was wearing a Stern Pinball t-shirt, she was very proud to work there and very excited to talk about it with a customer who appreciated it.
-Stern is the only company producing ~$5k machines and people complain about that price.
-If the wages are low, that speaks about greater issues with american manufacturing and economy, what unskilled workers get, but it's not like they are operating an illegal sweat shop.
The staff there do feel appreciated and morale seems good.
Bristow, VA
