Cast Member Pay & Labor Laws

[Cesar R M]

Livable wage is good but as a consumer get ready to pay for a higher priced product. Higher labor costs gets passed to you and me. That's business logic 101.

That would be great, but prices still keep getting higher and salaries have been mostly stagnant. So where it is going? Oh yes.. the neverending demanding Wall Street and its usustainable models.

Remember when Wall Street and investors were happy with a 2% year to year growth and stable economics?
Most news todays about investors are about just predatory quick, grab, cost cuts to bone, sell and let the company die.
Not to mention they demand growth over growth every year.. So that 2% last year? IT MUST BE 4% OR THE COMPANY WILL LOSE VALUE!.
big roller gambling has pretty much ruined the economy since some of the main top corporations owns almost every single means or distribution of products and services.

 

[Dreaming of Disney World]

Technically, a lot of jobs nowadays require titles just for the sake of them.
Hell, I've seen jobs that require the equivalent of Doctorate with tons of money in papers, certifications, et.c. and still giving entry wage. Everyone laughs at those in my UNI.. but yet.. XD

Yeah take my old preschool teacher job (what I did before the pandemic). I made $14 an hour with a bachelor's degree from a top liberal arts college plus certification to teach preschool. I didn't feel comfortable working this job during the pandemic or sending my kids to school before vaccines, so I stopped working. I've made more money on unemployment this past year than I've ever earned as a preschool teacher. Now I have a very part time office job that pays a lot more per hour. I don't know if I'll ever go back to preschool teaching, even though I loved it.

Also my husband slaves away at his job as a manager at a supermarket. He works something like 60 hours per week, does a great job, and is exhausted all the time, and we barely get by. If only his work place would hire more help, but they prefer to save money and let my husband work himself to death all day by himself.

 

[flynnibus]

In 2019, they needed $40 million to bump up labor to a living wage.

Curious what the math wax behind this estimate.

how many employees making what and changing to what?

 

[networkpro]

It's a poorly constructed sentence, but I'm assuming you were capable of taking the meaning.



The facets of running a business are irrelevant here. Instead, the correct subject to that claim would be economics. American teachings of economics are, by and large useless cold war propaganda with no real value but have an undue amount of influence on an international scale. Having studied it, I've discovered that it's essentially astrology cloaked in pseudo-academic language.

Which enlightened society construct do you agree with?

Point out on this doll where the evil American way hurt you.

 

[The Mom]

Wait, you're thinking that your laughable opinion and marked as such with an emoji is now "trolling" as well?

Using the laughing emoji to laugh AT another poster is not allowed, as it is considered disrespectful, rude, etc. You might have missed one of the warnings that have been posted.

 

[Roy G. Dis]

If it costs me $100 more to go on a Disney trip but that $100 is going towards livable wages then I'm ok with that.

 

[lentesta]

Curious what the math wax behind this estimate.

how many employees making what and changing to what?

It's upthread. Let me know if my math is off.

 

[yensid67]

Disney and Universal have already announced plans to increase theme park workers starting pay to $15 per hour.
--WOW! That would be nice! When I was a Cast Member in 1998-1999, the starting wage was $6.38/Hr regular cast
Imagine travelling and moving to Orlando alone and trying to live on that! $15/Hr would be a great help, but you still would not be able to live alone...even in DISNEY owned Apartments complexes!(NOT COLLEGE PROGRAM HOUSING, but regular Housing available for non Disney renters) They could give those Cast Members a discount to live in their complex. Cast Members receive discounts all across Orlando because they work For Disney, why can't Disney give their own cast a discount too?

 

[aliceismad]

Because someone upthread asked, per the U.S. Census, the median rent in the city of Orlando was $1,196 in 2019. The median household income was $51,757. (With the median household being 2.48 people. So more than $24 per hour for one earner or $12 per hour for two earners.) So roughly 27% of gross income went to rent if the median income household paid the median rent cost. But obviously there is a wide range of rates, unit sizes, etc. to get a median rent. I know that what qualifies as median rent in my city is not necessarily a great neighborhood or is quite small.

You can run the same quick facts for Kissimmee, Celebration, etc. (Poverty rate in Kissimeee was 23.6%, for example, but only 7% in Celebration.) https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/

Of course those numbers may have changed drastically in the past year or so.

It would've been interesting to see what would've happened had American taken the route of wage subsidies in the hopes of retaining jobs rather than temporarily improving unemployment benefits for the masses who were laid off. While I think "living wage" is an important issue, I also think that covid has further proven that many workers are viewed merely cogs in the corporate machine.

 

[flynnibus]

It's upthread. Let me know if my math is off.

Not so much the math - but really comparing unlike things and picking unrealistic target points.

1) Your math at the time already showed Disney was paying ABOVE the MIT living wage at the time for a solo person

The people arguing for a living wage wouldn't have agreed Disney was already paying more than that when they were paying $13/hr. So your base math already contradicts the pundits position.

And I don't know the date reference for your estimates, but we all know Disney agreed to move STARTING wages to $15 by this fall... so if someone wanted to use the frame of reference the $40mil came from, by both points, Disney was already paying and had an agreement to pay even more.

2) The 'generous' comparison point
In the next example you upped the stakes to being a family with one kid... but both working... which had the minimal increase of living wage estimate, leading to a under sized 0.52/hr wage increase... and then calculate your $40mil number from that. Vs using the more practical, but a lot more expensive family with 1 wage earner... because who can afford full time day care on entry level jobs? Plus, the number has to make assumptions on the payscale as your wage earner reference point ($13.xx) is not necessarily a prototypical reference point or necessarily a median.

3) Using the math to support a different meaning...
Besides the $40mil being undersized by the favorable selection of wages to compare... Your conclusion is being used to support a position that didn't even share the same definition of what a living wage was. You are both saying "living wage" -- but not with the same agreement of what it that number was. It's not really valid to use the $40m number in arguments besides one that would accept $13.52 as a good wage to target.

4) The number is meaningless today
The $40mil calculation is completely blown up by the current expectations of 'living wages'. Even using MIT's 2021 number (which again, most Pundits ask for more..) - Using your dual income, one kid number, if citing one working, is $28.88/hr. If comparing Disney's starting wage of $15 - that is a $13.88 wage difference... plus another 7.65% in payroll tax on the difference.. so another $1.06 in cost.. so $14.94 increase... times your 37k workers number = $1.149 billion...

Or another perspective... it would require nearly doubling their minimal labor costs.

(but again, all estimates are spitballs as we don't know the spread of minimum vs typical wages in the pool of 37k we are using)

Even if we take the more optimistic dual income one kid scenario (which I'd argue isn't really what people want in these debates) - that is $16.81 so $1.95/hr more in cost, 37k workers = $150 million. But I think that number is easily debunked when you hold the living wage supporters to say "Would $17/hr make you happy?" -- because they'd say no. So citing even using this $150mil to say "its not a big number" is disingenuous because it's based on different assumptions of what is an acceptable wage.


TLDR - the $40mil number was 'optimistic' at best, and pointless in today's discussion.

 

[Communicora]

It would've been interesting to see what would've happened had American taken the route of wage subsidies in the hopes of retaining jobs rather than temporarily improving unemployment benefits for the masses who were laid off.

The US did provide wage subsidies and other programs. One option for so-called small businesses was called the Paycheck Protection Program. To bring it back to Disney, they got about $500 million from the CARES Act.

 

[Malfie Cent]

Yeah take my old preschool teacher job (what I did before the pandemic). I made $14 an hour with a bachelor's degree from a top liberal arts college plus certification to teach preschool. I didn't feel comfortable working this job during the pandemic or sending my kids to school before vaccines, so I stopped working. I've made more money on unemployment this past year than I've ever earned as a preschool teacher. Now I have a very part time office job that pays a lot more per hour. I don't know if I'll ever go back to preschool teaching, even though I loved it.

Also my husband slaves away at his job as a manager at a supermarket. He works something like 60 hours per week, does a great job, and is exhausted all the time, and we barely get by. If only his work place would hire more help, but they prefer to save money and let my husband work himself to death all day by himself.

And at what point do you and your husband take responsibility for the financial choices you have made? It isn't heartless to expect people to be responsible for the choices they make about their own jobs and careers. It is not some companies responsibility to pay you so you can live, it is yours to find a job that does.
My dd just graduated with a BS, she makes $13 an hour. She's smart enough to know that she can't start a family and live off that. She is staying home, working for the experience needed to get her chosen job. She isn't planning on staying at the job where she is and then complain that she can't afford to live off what she makes.
My ds just graduated with an AS, and makes alot more and even he's smart enough to know he can't live off that. Of course that isn't is plan, he knows he's still in an entry level position and has to work his way up. If he decides to stay in that low paying job he isn't going to feel he's entitled to a living wage just because he did.

Your dh works 60+ hours a week slaving away and barely gets by and is still working for that company that prefers he work himself to death? That isn't that company's fault, it's your dh's for staying there. He's a manager, he clearly isn't in an entry level position, what is stopping him from moving on and moving up? It isn't the company he is working for.

 

[aliceismad]

The US did provide wage subsidies and other programs. One option for so-called small businesses was called the Paycheck Protection Program. To bring it back to Disney, they got about $500 million from the CARES Act.

Yeah. You're right. I'm not economist. I'm not sure how "successful" various programs have been deemed. It's a sucky situation all the way around.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Yeah. You're right. I'm not economist. I'm not sure how "successful" various programs have been deemed. It's a sucky situation all the way around.

For once, Philadelphia used common sense. Lol as I said upstream they used a lot of money to help those in low paying jobs get retraining.
Offered nursing assistant training, trade ( plumbing, construction, electrician) and other programs.

I know a few servers who recognized that waitressing was not going to give them a decent life in the high northeast.

 

[Dreaming of Disney World]

And at what point do you and your husband take responsibility for the financial choices you have made? It isn't heartless to expect people to be responsible for the choices they make about their own jobs and careers. It is not some companies responsibility to pay you so you can live, it is yours to find a job that does.
My dd just graduated with a BS, she makes $13 an hour. She's smart enough to know that she can't start a family and live off that. She is staying home, working for the experience needed to get her chosen job. She isn't planning on staying at the job where she is and then complain that she can't afford to live off what she makes.
My ds just graduated with an AS, and makes alot more and even he's smart enough to know he can't live off that. Of course that isn't is plan, he knows he's still in an entry level position and has to work his way up. If he decides to stay in that low paying job he isn't going to feel he's entitled to a living wage just because he did.

Your dh works 60+ hours a week slaving away and barely gets by and is still working for that company that prefers he work himself to death? That isn't that company's fault, it's your dh's for staying there. He's a manager, he clearly isn't in an entry level position, what is stopping him from moving on and moving up? It isn't the company he is working for.

You don't think preschool teachers deserve to make a living wage? Who do you want teaching and caring for young children? I shouldn't have to leave a job i love, am good at, and is beneficial to my community because the pay is so low. The pay should be raised. My husband should be able to work as a manager full time and support a family. It's not so easy to just get another job. Yes he is looking, but nothing else pays nearly as much as the job he has. So he continues to slave away.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Or they could reduce their level of stock buybacks and dividends. Give less money to investors and more to labor.

In 2019, they needed $40 million to bump up labor to a living wage. They spent $3.6 billion on stock buy-backs around that time. So they could've spent a little over 1% if my math is correct, to do that, and still had $3.56 billion for stock buybacks.

I don't think allocating that 1% to labor would've put the company in an investor-led death spiral. Let's put it this way: if that 1% would've made a material difference - if the company is on that kind of knife's edge - then something else is wrong.

You silly, practical, idealistic fool

Disney and Universal have already announced plans to increase theme park workers starting pay to $15 per hour.

The problem with those largely PR moves is that they are said in advance so that those “raises” are always gobbled up and then some by the prices of services and necessities in the Orlando market. It is far more likely these people end up net behind by the time the paycheck actually says that.

--WOW! That would be nice! When I was a Cast Member in 1998-1999, the starting wage was $6.38/Hr regular cast
Imagine travelling and moving to Orlando alone and trying to live on that! $15/Hr would be a great help, but you still would not be able to live alone...even in DISNEY owned Apartments complexes!(NOT COLLEGE PROGRAM HOUSING, but regular Housing available for non Disney renters) They could give those Cast Members a discount to live in their complex. Cast Members receive discounts all across Orlando because they work For Disney, why can't Disney give their own cast a discount too?

Yeah…you’re of my vintage. My first “blue id” job from those years in the swamp paid I think $31,000? Not living the life then. But adjusted doe inflation and cost? I would venture it’s not better now or when this “liveable” wage finally kicks in.

The US did provide wage subsidies and other programs. One option for so-called small businesses was called the Paycheck Protection Program. To bring it back to Disney, they got about $500 million from the CARES Act.

I was wondering if there was a number thrown to that?
…Interesting

 

[Communicora]

I was wondering if there was a number thrown to that?
…Interesting

I found that figure from a quick scan of their 2020 Annual Report. I would imagine they got some moulah in 2021 too but I'm too lazy to dig more than that!

 

[flynnibus]

I shouldn't have to leave a job i love, am good at, and is beneficial to my community because the pay is so low. The pay should be raised.

That's not how it works... the business has to support that pay through paying customers first. So look around at all your co-residents of the world and challenge them why they price shop when looking at businesses. Because wages come from REVENUES - not emotions.

 

[Malfie Cent]

You don't think preschool teachers deserve to make a living wage? Who do you want teaching and caring for young children? I shouldn't have to leave a job i love, am good at, and is beneficial to my community because the pay is so low. The pay should be raised. My husband should be able to work as a manager full time and support a family. It's not so easy to just get another job. Yes he is looking, but nothing else pays nearly as much as the job he has. So he continues to slave away.

It doesn't matter what I think, it matters what your employer does.
You are paid what you are worth to your employer, if you feel they aren't paying you what you deserve then it is your responsibility to find an employer that does. That may mean changing careers, taking on a second job, going back to school, moving to an area with more job availability. It means taking responsibility for yourself and what you make for a living.
Where is it written that it has to be easy for you? And yes, if you can't afford to live on doing something you love then you should absolutely quit and find something that can pay your bills. You aren't a child, you are an adult right? Make an adult decision.

 

[flynnibus]

Where is it written that it has to be easy for you?

The philosophical camp that says "all jobs should have a living wage"

This is not a justification - it's a philosophical decision you build everything else around.