Click to Return to RVeCafe Homepage
Travel Resources

Workamper Experience

October 5, 2006: Several days ago I subscribed to Workamper News Plus. I felt it was time to investigate the working opportunities. WNP allows you to post a resume as well as receive daily emails of new job listings. According to the emails I get each day, several employers have viewed our resume each day. I got the first offer today by telephone. "Would you come for an interview?", the caller inquired. The caller had identified himself as the manager of a 92 space RV park in Lincoln City, Oregon. This would be about a day drive from our current location in southern Oregon. I asked about the duties of the jobs. He replied, general maintenance, office work, cleaning the restrooms .. a minimum of 26 hours each per week. We would be paid $7.50/hour and given free use of the laundry room. We would have to pay $400/month for our space. (I'm hoping there are not workampers out in RV land that would consider this a good offer. He had identified himself as a "new manager" and he was offering what the owner had requested.) I felt he or the owner needed to be educated so his next call might be a better offer so I stated, "It would be difficult for us to choose to accept your offer since we had just completed a position where the hourly wage was higher, the full hook-up space was free, two meals per day were free, we received discounts on gas, propane and store items and free use of the rental boats." He thanked me and hung up. I hope I'm not the one who is naive about workamping but that's what I will learn in the next few months. You are welcome to email me with your experiences and I will post them here.

Click to see What's New at RVeCafe   October 10, 2006: Barry and Sharon have this to say: "You are right on target in our book! Barry and I have been workamping for six years now and we have felt the same way all along! I know there are many workampers that do not need the money or like to volunteer and that's great but many of us like or need to work and want to be paid a FAIR wage for what we are required to do. We have subscribed to Workamper Plus since it was offered and it does get results, but most offers are simular to the one you received! We know that the "camping" business in some areas of the country is not the big money maker it is in other areas but there are some jobs at a campground that people are not going to do for free! You will get many offers that pay very little or just want you to work for the site, we have found this to be the norm! Looking for that job that pays a fair wage is really a quest! Don't get me wrong, we do enjoy the life style but it has proven to be more of a challege that we thought it would be at first. Many may not share our thoughts on this topic but we feel if the job is a 35-40hr. a week job working in the office or doing real maintenance or other types of "Real Work" that a FHU and at least minimum wage should be offered. We think that your comment to the employer was a correct response. If more workampers would respond the same way maybe we all would get better offers.There are plenty of Volunteer positions for the workampers who do not need or want to receive a wage! Maybe I am incorrect but I hope this is the type of dialog we will continue to have on this BOF site so that our experiences in this life-style will continue to inprove and we will become more informed. Thx Dale for the comment! Sorry to go on for so long! Happy Trails."
Here is a comment from Phyllis and Larry: "We never pay that much a month for a site, even when we are not working for that campground. The per hour rate you mention is more than we are currently making, and we must pay for use of washer and dryer. We do get some good discounts. Most places that pay well may require a 40 hour week from both workers. For us, this is not feasible. The worst offer we had came from Disney World, of all places. I am afraid many employers looking for workampers are looking for indentured servants. We are ready to try just working part time for a local firm in the area we wish to visit and arranging our own sites. The "provided sites" are often not exactly first class. We are learning as we go."
Ed added: "Hopefully, you enlightened the new manager and, ultimately, the owner of the campground that work campers are not of the slave-labor class. That is an offer I would definitely refuse."
Thanks to Ed, Phyllis, Larry, Barry and Sharon!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
 
Travel Resources Travel Resources Travel Resources
 
Return to RV 2006 Copyright, 2005 by RVeCafe.com