News Disney World Cast Member unions to begin week of negotiations for wage increases, healthcare costs and more

[TrainsOfDisney]

Florida has the 2 largest cruise ship ports in the world. If you take Disney out of Florida, Florida is still a huge tourist draw.

 

[SaintsDisneyFan]

As a non-union employee (who works for Disney but not in the parks division) I am happy for my fellow union Cast Members. It will now be interesting to see how non-union employees are handled. I only make $20/hr. so if no adjustment is made I'll see fresh off the street Custodial, Food and Beverage and Attractions Cast Members (And yes they are Cast Members and I am an Employee, only parks division Employees are referred to as Cast Members) be within $2/hr. of what I make in a non-union position and I've been with the company for over 10 years.

Yes we get raises almost every year but they are minor raises. This year we didn't even get a merit raise, just a $1/hr. raise after a "Market Study" was performed. I worked in the parks back in the day so I respect what our Cast Members do but it will be a hard pill to swallow if I only make $2/hr. more than someone emptying a trash can or pushing a button. Those jobs are more physically demanding but on the flip side my current position is significantly more mentally demanding. Of course the raise could be a negative for union Cast Members as well as there's already been rumors that hours will be cut. Many Cast Members might go down from around 40 hours/week to around 32 hours/week which would more than offset the raise and really hurt many of them.

That's why Disney really has to think about these negotiations. They know if will impact non-union as well as union. In the past when union Cast Members have received a raise the non-union employees has received a similar raise very soon after. Now given this time may be different as they may take the "be glad you still have a job" mentality since many employees are being laid off. Being with the Corporate segment I believe I am safe for the most part but am not 100% until they make the announcement that the layoffs are completed.

But at the end of the day if non-union employees are not compensated similarly to what union Cast Members receive the Company will lose additional talent and morale will go down. Heck at that point some might even just quit and return in a union Cast Member positon. Why take double the stress for $2/hr. more? I won't do that but I could see where some will.

That will be the next thing to watch with the Company now that the union contract negotiations are essentially complete.

 

[JD80]

It is hard, you seem to be under the impression that because someone can afford expensive vacations they were born with a silver spoon and just randomly came into their standard of living.
I'm not apologizing for my financial status nor am I responsible for the decisions or the comfort level that the front line employees have or don't have. I worked/sacrificed/groveled for an obscene portion of my life and made tough decisions to NOT stay in a dead end job.
I'm not upset at all, I really love the maternity leave allowance. I'm totally happy, I also know in 3 years they will be back once again blaming Disney for them not being able to afford an apartment.
So yes my life has been just as hard (I'd argue harder but that's for another thread) as any other jor or jane.
And no I don't think that I'm under some obligation to finance someone else's life just because I can afford nice stuff.
It's just another version of "tax the rich to make my life better"

Someone hates capitalism.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

As a non-union employee (who works for Disney but not in the parks division) I am happy for my fellow union Cast Members. It will now be interesting to see how non-union employees are handled. I only make $20/hr. so if no adjustment is made I'll see fresh off the street Custodial, Food and Beverage and Attractions Cast Members (And yes they are Cast Members and I am an Employee, only parks division Employees are referred to as Cast Members) be within $2/hr. of what I make in a non-union position and I've been with the company for over 10 years.

Yes we get raises almost every year but they are minor raises. This year we didn't even get a merit raise, just a $1/hr. raise after a "Market Study" was performed. I worked in the parks back in the day so I respect what our Cast Members do but it will be a hard pill to swallow if I only make $2/hr. more than someone emptying a trash can or pushing a button. Those jobs are more physically demanding but on the flip side my current position is significantly more mentally demanding. Of course the raise could be a negative for union Cast Members as well as there's already been rumors that hours will be cut. Many Cast Members might go down from around 40 hours/week to around 32 hours/week which would more than offset the raise and really hurt many of them.

That's why Disney really has to think about these negotiations. They know if will impact non-union as well as union. In the past when union Cast Members have received a raise the non-union employees has received a similar raise very soon after. Now given this time may be different as they may take the "be glad you still have a job" mentality since many employees are being laid off. Being with the Corporate segment I believe I am safe for the most part but am not 100% until they make the announcement that the layoffs are completed.

But at the end of the day if non-union employees are not compensated similarly to what union Cast Members receive the Company will lose additional talent and morale will go down. Heck at that point some might even just quit and return in a union Cast Member positon. Why take double the stress for $2/hr. more? I won't do that but I could see where some will.

That will be the next thing to watch with the Company now that the union contract negotiations are essentially complete.

This is true at my company also, we have people who’ve been there 25 years that make the same as the guy hired last week, the plus side of the union is wages go up every year, the downside is they go up equally regardless of work ethic so the only incentive to work hard is pride, the good people have to work harder to compensate for the bad people but everyone takes home the same paycheck.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Florida has the 2 largest cruise ship ports in the world. If you take Disney out of Florida, Florida is still a huge tourist draw.

Since this is a thread about livable wages for Floridians, it’s interesting we’re discussing cruise ships given the dirty little secrets as to why many of these ships claim foreign provenance.

 

[Disone]

What? This isn't on Disney they have been paying equal to, or less than, roughly what their competitors are paying. They have a hard enough time hiring and keeping entry level talent as it is.

Less then? I don't know about that. Maybe but I think the data would say in general Disney pays equal to or slightly more than it's competitors. Not less then. The whole reason why this new offer was made possible was because universal started offering $17 an hour. It really wasn't any great negotiation tactic from the union... No, the "cast" didn't win the battle. Instead Universal announced they were going to start paying $17 an hour and so Disney knew they would have to match and exceed that. And of course as they typically do, they did.

 

[Disone]

Somebody correct me here if I'm wrong, but didn't Disney reduce other benefits the last time the Union negotiated a raise?
I seem to recall that some the Aspire benefits were reduced where they went from paying for two courses per semester to just one. I think there were other benefit reductions as well, but I don't have the details. I know they've changed which colleges and programs are eligible several times as well, making it difficult to complete education programs.

Source: I have relatives who have worked at WDW for more than 5 yrs and they have been working on their Masters and have grown frustrated with the "benefit" because of the changes.

Aspire is an benefit for hourly that first premiered in 2018. It was specifically introduced to plus the benefit package that Disney was offering.

It was not cut or reduced. It was introduced.

 

[Nubs70]

If pre negotiation pay rate was $15/hr, the union starting position was $20/hr, then $18/hr after negotiation, WDW met at over 50% of the difference. The union made a successful negotiation.

If $24/hr is now the criteria for a "living wage", the union starting position should have been $33/hr. If you are a proponent of the "Living Wage", the union failed from the start.

 

[CastAStone]

As a non-union employee (who works for Disney but not in the parks division) I am happy for my fellow union Cast Members. It will now be interesting to see how non-union employees are handled. I only make $20/hr. so if no adjustment is made I'll see fresh off the street Custodial, Food and Beverage and Attractions Cast Members (And yes they are Cast Members and I am an Employee, only parks division Employees are referred to as Cast Members) be within $2/hr. of what I make in a non-union position and I've been with the company for over 10 years.

Yes we get raises almost every year but they are minor raises. This year we didn't even get a merit raise, just a $1/hr. raise after a "Market Study" was performed. I worked in the parks back in the day so I respect what our Cast Members do but it will be a hard pill to swallow if I only make $2/hr. more than someone emptying a trash can or pushing a button. Those jobs are more physically demanding but on the flip side my current position is significantly more mentally demanding. Of course the raise could be a negative for union Cast Members as well as there's already been rumors that hours will be cut. Many Cast Members might go down from around 40 hours/week to around 32 hours/week which would more than offset the raise and really hurt many of them.

That's why Disney really has to think about these negotiations. They know if will impact non-union as well as union. In the past when union Cast Members have received a raise the non-union employees has received a similar raise very soon after. Now given this time may be different as they may take the "be glad you still have a job" mentality since many employees are being laid off. Being with the Corporate segment I believe I am safe for the most part but am not 100% until they make the announcement that the layoffs are completed.

But at the end of the day if non-union employees are not compensated similarly to what union Cast Members receive the Company will lose additional talent and morale will go down. Heck at that point some might even just quit and return in a union Cast Member positon. Why take double the stress for $2/hr. more? I won't do that but I could see where some will.

That will be the next thing to watch with the Company now that the union contract negotiations are essentially complete.

As a general rule of thumb the way to maximize your earning potential is to repeatedly switch jobs to chase higher pay.

But that’s Especially true in the 2021-2023 period for anyone making below the national median income. Everyone has been adjusting what they offer new people but (almost) no one is bothering to increase pay for current employees so new people off the street are frequently making more than the veteran employees next to them.

 

[fgmnt]

As a non-union employee (who works for Disney but not in the parks division) I am happy for my fellow union Cast Members. It will now be interesting to see how non-union employees are handled. I only make $20/hr. so if no adjustment is made I'll see fresh off the street Custodial, Food and Beverage and Attractions Cast Members (And yes they are Cast Members and I am an Employee, only parks division Employees are referred to as Cast Members) be within $2/hr. of what I make in a non-union position and I've been with the company for over 10 years.

Yes we get raises almost every year but they are minor raises. This year we didn't even get a merit raise, just a $1/hr. raise after a "Market Study" was performed. I worked in the parks back in the day so I respect what our Cast Members do but it will be a hard pill to swallow if I only make $2/hr. more than someone emptying a trash can or pushing a button. Those jobs are more physically demanding but on the flip side my current position is significantly more mentally demanding. Of course the raise could be a negative for union Cast Members as well as there's already been rumors that hours will be cut. Many Cast Members might go down from around 40 hours/week to around 32 hours/week which would more than offset the raise and really hurt many of them.

That's why Disney really has to think about these negotiations. They know if will impact non-union as well as union. In the past when union Cast Members have received a raise the non-union employees has received a similar raise very soon after. Now given this time may be different as they may take the "be glad you still have a job" mentality since many employees are being laid off. Being with the Corporate segment I believe I am safe for the most part but am not 100% until they make the announcement that the layoffs are completed.

But at the end of the day if non-union employees are not compensated similarly to what union Cast Members receive the Company will lose additional talent and morale will go down. Heck at that point some might even just quit and return in a union Cast Member positon. Why take double the stress for $2/hr. more? I won't do that but I could see where some will.

That will be the next thing to watch with the Company now that the union contract negotiations are essentially complete.

Why not attempt to unionize your workplace?

 

[LSLS]

You sound a little angry at my post and I didn’t say I was happy with what Disney most likely will do, just aware of how these companies work.

You have to realize that those on the top, the wealthiest in our society, don’t want less for them in order to make sure others below them have more. The wealthy and powerful want more for them and aren’t going to settle for anything less than that. Sadly it’s the way our society is and has been and there’s no way that Disney Corp isn’t going to hike prices. The executives, the board members, and shareholders aren’t going to be happy with less revenue in their pockets and increased spending. Greed is the way with those at the top and something will have to give in order to pacify them. Sadly, it’s the way our economy works and just because I say this, doesn’t mean I’m in agreement with it or think it’s right. I support the cast members and feel this raise should have been long ago. I just was pointing out the reality of what most likely will happen. I hope that Disney won’t hike prices and actually roll back some of the greedy policies they implemented these past couple of years, under the Iger regime. I won’t hold my breath though.

Nah, not mad at you, hope it didn't come off as that. My point is for the price of raising a cheeseburger from $11.79 to $12.79 and a coke from $3.29 to $4.29, disney could pay half the price of the raise. And if that makes you feel upset, then you really wouldn't care, cause that is the price they already raised them to. From the numbers I saw, it's around $4 extra per person per day to cover the cost if all get an equal raise. That is easy to find. And they already found WAY more than that over the last year. If they feel the need to noticeably raise prices, it's to make more money, it's not to cover the costs.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I worked in the parks back in the day so I respect what our Cast Members do but it will be a hard pill to swallow if I only make $2/hr. more than someone emptying a trash can or pushing a button.

So first is a question…. Do you think Bob Iger works significantly harder than you?

But the bigger question is…. Is your job as in demand as front line workers right now? If you left tomorrow, how easy is it to replace you?

 

[MrPromey]

Damn, I didn’t think I’d have to make it so clear…what I was referring to was that the customer service and satisfaction keys are the same no matter how large your company is….I’d venture to say that the best way to learn those keys are in a small venue. Of course I don’t have the answers to their billions of dollars problems other than to say there are a plethora of “experts” on here that all claim to know what’s wrong, who’s to blame and how to fix it. If I did know, I certainly wouldn’t be conversing on these forums…I’d be working to get the job done.
And, thanks for the respect…it’s not as easy as it looks…

Following back the thread I was responding to you in, you had said "it’s just as a former small business owner, I KNOW what it’s like on the other side." which didn't seem in the context of the conversation to be talking about customer service the way one or two of your other posts were - sorry for the confusion.

As for the billion dollar "problem" - that goes to my point. They don't even seem to see it as a problem the way you or I might.

When I was talking about Iger's view (kind of a play on the comment about the other side of the counter) and I mentioned his home and his office view, I wasn't trying to disparage you for not being in the same league as someone high up the 1% pole.

I was trying to point out that their view is so different, so detached from most of society that it might as well be from another planet. Money doesn't even work the way it does for normal people when you're the CEO of a company like Disney.

In Bob's world, $4 billion in loses isn't that big of a deal, not when the mistake people think he made was spending $70 billion for Fox... But not so big of a mistake he wasn't asked back to head Disney, again.

In the discussion about cast and money it's the same thing. A small business owner says it's not sustainable but most small business owners don't have the same kind of margins Disney has. Remember, the parks largely paid for those $4 billion in loses and still allowed the company to turn a decent profit - the money is absolutely there and not the way it would be for you or me.

I wouldn't want to be a small business owner in central Florida having to compete for labor right now.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Aspire is an benefit for hourly that first premiered in 2018. It was specifically introduced to plus the benefit package that Disney was offering.

It was not cut or reduced. It was introduced.

I know for a fact it was reduced from its original offering.

 

[Lilofan]

Following back the thread I was responding to you in, you had said "it’s just as a former small business owner, I KNOW what it’s like on the other side." which didn't seem in the context of the conversation to be talking about customer service the way one or two of your other posts were - sorry for the confusion.

As for the billion dollar "problem" - that goes to my point. They don't even seem to see it as a problem the way you or I might.

When I was talking about Iger's view (kind of a play on the comment about the other side of the counter) and I mentioned his home and his office view, I wasn't trying to disparage you for not being in the same league as someone high up the 1% pole.

I was trying to point out that their view is so different, so detached from most of society that it might as well be from another planet. Money doesn't even work the way it does for normal people when you're the CEO of a company like Disney.

In Bob's world, $4 billion in loses isn't that big of a deal, not when the mistake people think he made was spending $70 billion for Fox... But not so big of a mistake he wasn't asked back to head Disney, again.

In the discussion about cast and money it's the same thing. A small business owner says it's not sustainable but most small business owners don't have the same kind of margins Disney has. Remember, the parks largely paid for those $4 billion in loses and still allowed the company to turn a decent profit - the money is absolutely there and not the way it would be for you or me.

I wouldn't want to be a small business owner in central Florida having to compete for labor right now.

Visiting the touristy FL mall in Orlando there are a number of kiosks in the mall rented by the month by small business owners. Labor at some are filled by undocumented workers. I've met and talked with some of these folks.

 

[SaintsDisneyFan]

So first is a question…. Do you think Bob Iger works significantly harder than you?

But the bigger question is…. Is your job as in demand as front line workers right now? If you left tomorrow, how easy is it to replace you?

To answer your first question I think Bob Iger has more stress than me, yes. I think it would be very stressful to be the face of the Company. For every action you take to have to be analyzed because it will reflect on the Company, even in your personal life. The absolutely destruction of work and personal life would be too much for me.

Now do I think Bob Iger works significantly harder than me? No, I don't. My job is demanding and I try to do the best job I can and it's rewarding but hard work.

To answer your second question I am one of the more experienced members of my team. My job might not be as in demand as front line workers from a pure numbers perspective (my team isn't obviously nearly as big as say all the Food and Beverage, Attractions or Guest Relations teams) but is more important to the Company as a whole. It is also a lot easier to find replacements for front line positions than it is for my position. So to answer your question it would not be easy at all to replace me. In fact they have admitted that for those of us who are more experienced we would be difficult to replace.

And let's say all the Cast Members who work a specific attraction quit on the same day. Yes that attraction would be temporarily shut down but worse case it would be back up in a week or two after the Company trained replacements. Without giving away what I do for the Company for my own security lets just say if every employee in my department quit on the same day there would be significant disruptions for Cast Members, Employees and Leaders at all levels and at all business segments. The Company would be hurting for awhile.

Yes they would replace us but it would hurt the Company short term. Just to learn the basics of my position is typically about 3 months. To get truly comfortable in my position is about 6 months and to have the amount of institutional knowledge that I have would easily be 9 - 12 months. So if I left tomorrow and they hired a new person to replace me it would be 9 - 12 months before that person would be at my level. Perhaps even longer. There are some people in my department who have been there as long as me who don't necessarily have my level of institutional knowledge (close but not quite). Compare that to a typical front line position where training is typically no longer than 1 - 2 weeks and most new hires are probably fully comfortable at the job in a month or two.

 

[SaintsDisneyFan]

As a general rule of thumb the way to maximize your earning potential is to repeatedly switch jobs to chase higher pay.

But that’s Especially true in the 2021-2023 period for anyone making below the national median income. Everyone has been adjusting what they offer new people but (almost) no one is bothering to increase pay for current employees so new people off the street are frequently making more than the veteran employees next to them.

It's sad but very true. I've been in my current position for about 2 years and I've started searching around for opportunities, preferably within the Company. Unfortunately I picked the wrong time to start looking with the layoffs. It's just sad that's the mentality you have to have and not just at Disney but in the workforce in general.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Another words, watch out Orlando! Some day down the road, Disney may be pulling up stakes and relocating WDW to India!

Are we talking about the parks or their IT department

 

[muddyrivers]

And I will argue that is not correct. Better pay leads to short term satisfaction, and does not lead to improved job performance. Any boost in morale will only last a few months. Those who were not happy before, will revert back to that state months after.

Agreed (and not just because you have ALF as your avatar ). When you get a pay increase, you have that temporary feeling of being satisfied and happy with getting more money you previously weren't receiving. Before long though you start to get the feeling that maybe you could be earning even more and you feel frustrated and annoyed with your job again. It's not just about the money, it's also about your working environment which includes how management treats you, how your coworkers make the workplace, etc.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Following back the thread I was responding to you in, you had said "it’s just as a former small business owner, I KNOW what it’s like on the other side." which didn't seem in the context of the conversation to be talking about customer service the way one or two of your other posts were - sorry for the confusion.

As for the billion dollar "problem" - that goes to my point. They don't even seem to see it as a problem the way you or I might.

When I was talking about Iger's view (kind of a play on the comment about the other side of the counter) and I mentioned his home and his office view, I wasn't trying to disparage you for not being in the same league as someone high up the 1% pole.

I was trying to point out that their view is so different, so detached from most of society that it might as well be from another planet. Money doesn't even work the way it does for normal people when you're the CEO of a company like Disney.

In Bob's world, $4 billion in loses isn't that big of a deal, not when the mistake people think he made was spending $70 billion for Fox... But not so big of a mistake he wasn't asked back to head Disney, again.

In the discussion about cast and money it's the same thing. A small business owner says it's not sustainable but most small business owners don't have the same kind of margins Disney has. Remember, the parks largely paid for those $4 billion in loses and still allowed the company to turn a decent profit - the money is absolutely there and not the way it would be for you or me.

I wouldn't want to be a small business owner in central Florida having to compete for labor right now.

It’s all good…in the end, we’re all looking for the best outcome..