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

[Wegerter]

Correct, there is no requirement to join the union. However, unless something changed since I was a CM, don't start banking the unpaid union dues. You have to pay an agency fee which, coincidentally, equals the union dues.

It was this way when I was a CM, it was also this way when I worked for a MA State Authority many years ago.

Florida is a “right to work” state meaning that if a union exists for your role, you have “the right to work” (instead of strike). You are not required to join a union in a right to work state or pay union dues or a fee.

In Massachusetts and California things work differently. These are “Shop States”, also referred to as “forced-unionized states”. It’s really questionable if these policies are constitutional IMO because while it technically doesn’t force someone to join a union or pay union dues, it charges them a fee if they choose not to join that equals due. So basically if you work in a shop state and a Union exists, you might as well join so you can vote because you are going to be charged the same amount if you don’t. Also, in shop states it forces everyone in the union to strike.

Back in 2020 when I was at Disney, union membership in unionized roles was around 30%. I’m not sure if that changed now.

 

[tallica]

You don't understand. There is no obligation to join the union. I'm wondering how many in the union and how many are not for example in food and beverage teams at MK percentage wise.

I already explained that in my first post that I don't know how many people in union jobs are actually members paying dues. The union is very secretive and hard to get reliable information from.

 

[tallica]

Correct, there is no requirement to join the union. However, unless something changed since I was a CM, don't start banking the unpaid union dues. You have to pay an agency fee which, coincidentally, equals the union dues.

It was this way when I was a CM, it was also this way when I worked for a MA State Authority many years ago.

I have worked for Disney since 2016. During this time there has never been an agency fee or any other non tax deduction from mine or other family members paychecks. We are all in union roles but not union members.

 

[tallica]

My frustration is that loyalty/longevity means you end up with less than your newer peers… if you were 2 steps up from entry level pay you become equal to them very quickly.. the lower levels on some groups see an $8 pay bump over the contract but mid/upper tiers will see $5-6..

It is actually worse than that. For example a CM with 20 years gets the same exact pay as a new hire if they are in the same unionized role.

 

[WDWFanRay]

What’s going to happen to pay as the tourism industry continues to slow down? (I have received resort offers as high as 35% off and I hear Disney is canceling some galactic star cruiser dates, to consolidate lower bookings) I’ve never seen Disney cut wages, so I assume they would go with more layoffs, to further cut costs.

 

[CastAStone]

What’s going to happen to pay as the tourism industry continues to slow down? (I have received resort offers as high as 35% off and I hear Disney is canceling some galactic star cruiser dates, to consolidate lower bookings) I’ve never seen Disney cut wages, so I assume they would go with more layoffs, to further cut costs.

I think that’s a safe assumption. They’re pretty locked into wages but the contract gives them leeway to cut people and hours.

 

[Tom P.]

What’s going to happen to pay as the tourism industry continues to slow down? (I have received resort offers as high as 35% off and I hear Disney is canceling some galactic star cruiser dates, to consolidate lower bookings) I’ve never seen Disney cut wages, so I assume they would go with more layoffs, to further cut costs.

Resort discounts of 35% off are actually not that unusual, even during good times. Disney's resorts are priced high enough that they can offer "deep discounts" and still turn a tidy profit. It's one of their standard promotional techniques, so that people think they are getting a bargain. The Galactic Cruiser cancellations do definitely indicate things are soft with those bookings, but because GC is such a unique and high-priced offering, even by Disney standards, it doesn't necessarily serve as an indicator of demand across the rest of the resort.

I'm not saying that things aren't softening on tourism bookings. I suspect that they are. I think we've just about passed the boom from post-Covid pent up travel demand, and the economy is generally shaky right now. That has to equal lower booking numbers. But I don't think the things you've cited necessarily are indicators of that.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

$3 an hour raise one week, 7000 job cuts the next week, just like the debit/credit sides of a spreadsheet. Plus on one side, minus on the other.

I don’t even have the energy to argue this anymore, but myself and others have proven that these two things aren’t correlated.

 

[Lilofan]

I think that’s a safe assumption. They’re pretty locked into wages but the contract gives them leeway to cut people and hours.

Contract can give Disney to cut full timers down to 32 hours per week. I had worked back in the day at hotels non union when they were not enough heads on beds ( low occupancy ) staff was cut to 16-24 hours per week.

 

[mkt]

Correct, there is no requirement to join the union. However, unless something changed since I was a CM, don't start banking the unpaid union dues. You have to pay an agency fee which, coincidentally, equals the union dues.

It was this way when I was a CM, it was also this way when I worked for a MA State Authority many years ago.

When was this? I didn't pay union dues when I wasn't a union member as a CM.

 

[JoeCamel]

When was this? I didn't pay union dues when I wasn't a union member as a CM.

I think it is Cali

 

[quarktheduck]

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?

I know this wasn't directed to me, but personally as an hourly O&T, I am the only person in my position in this location, it was empty for four months before I accepted the role, and before that were two TA's that gave up and went back to their former positions before even getting to the 6 month mark. My job is necessary for continued operation of a resort.

In response to saying I will now be making $2 LESS than the position I was "promoted" from and it makes no sense to consider it a "promotion," not to mention $4 less than the housekeeping who are considered "below" me (which 100% deserve every cent they get, I'm only aiming for *as much* but it would be considered a demotion to switch to housekeeping), I was told "then go back to merchandise."

Not easy to replace doesn't mean they won't. So, there's that.

 

[quarktheduck]

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?

I know this wasn't directed to me, but personally as an hourly O&T, I am the only person in my position in this location, it was empty for four months before I accepted the role, and before that were two TA's that gave up and went back to their former positions before even getting to the 6 month mark. My job is necessary for continued operation of a resort.

In response to saying I will now be making $2 LESS than the position I was "promoted" from and it makes no sense to consider it a "promotion," not to mention $4 less than the housekeeping who are considered "below" me (which 100% deserve every cent they get, I'm only aiming for *as much* but it would be considered a demotion to switch to housekeeping), I was told "then go back to merchandise."

Not easy to replace doesn't mean they won't. So, there's that.

 

[quarktheduck]

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

When I started my Aspire program for a bachelors in 2020 the courses per term allotment was three classes/semester. In December they removed the restrictions altogether so there is no longer a limit for any program. Programs available will always change with interest and enrollment fluctuation and what the schools choose to offer, that has nothing to do with Disney removing benefits. Several schools have been added over the years. If you do start a program and it is later removed from the catalog, you are still able to complete the program and it does not effect your funding. And there have always been more restrictions on Masters programs because they are so much more expensive.
So I'm not sure how it has been reduced.

 

[DCBaker]

UNITE HERE Local 737 has shared date details on pay rate changes and retroactive pay.

"Information on Union Raises at Disney

Pay rate changes will go into effect Sunday, May 21 and will be paid in the paychecks dated Thursday, June 1. You will see that check on the Hub on Sunday, May 28.

The second portion of the retroactive pay will be in checks dated Thursday, June 15. This second retroactive payment will cover all hours paid between March 26, 2023 and May 20, 2023.

On April 20, 2023, Disney already made the first retroactive payment for all hours paid between October 2, 2022 and March 25, 2023."