Survey launches to assess Detroit arena working conditions

A new survey is gathering information from employees about their working conditions at Detroit's professional sports venues — Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park and Ford Field.

Why it matters: The anonymous survey answers will inform the progress of the Industry Standards Board for arena workers, created last year to recommend industry-wide improvements of the working conditions for the venues' employees.

• Past complaints from arena workers have included low pay, inconsistent hours and nighttime safety issues, union representatives told the city council in 2023, according to the Detroit News .

What's inside: A Wayne State researcher developed the 15-minute survey to gather feedback from individuals who have worked at a Detroit arena in the past year. The survey covers compensation, workplace safety, injuries or abuse, discrimination and improvement suggestions.

• The results will be made public and shared with the board, Wayne State said.

Catch up quick: A city ordinance passed in 2021 allowed the creation of Industry Standards Boards if enough workers in a specific industry signed and submitted a petition.

• The nine-member boards are intended to start cooperative conversations among workers, business leaders and stakeholders. They comprise three industry workers, three employees at the managerial level, and three others from or appointed by local government.
• The boards don't create new rules, but they can recommend them.
• The arena workers' board, which meets publicly monthly, was the first board created under the ordinance.

The latest: Labor leaders and City Council President Mary Sheffield gathered Tuesday at Spirit Plaza to urge as many arena workers as possible to take the survey.

• "Your input will directly shape the policies and the standards that will define the future of our work in the arenas," Sheffield said.

Context: More than 200 workers have completed the survey so far and Wayne State hopes for at least 500, assistant professor of social work Kess Ballentine says.

• The labor board's chair, Joe Miller, said he couldn't estimate the total number of workers at the city's arenas, but he represents 600 in stage technician-related fields . SEIU Local 1 represents 900 Detroit arena workers.
• Other fields covered by the board include janitorial, electrician, food services and building maintenance.

What they're saying: When asked what success would look like, Miller said it could include buy-in from companies for change and proposals for new local legislation around working conditions. However, Detroit is barred by state law from making minimum wage rules.

• Ricardo Segura, a digital communication specialist with SEIU, says the board may address issues such as ensuring the safety of employees arriving and leaving work late at night.