Disney Union Workers Rally for Better Pay

[38053WDW]

I have a friend who is doing the internship right now and he loves it .. He has met wonderful friends for life .. he as been given opportunities to work different job locations .. (wanted Mine Train but so may do !) Now with working at Disney he may change his college career path into Management. (Even extended his stay to try Marketing skills) I remember having a good job and then applied at a new company coming to town.. The job was 12 hr shifts. two days on/ two days off 365 days a year. I knew tis would lead to better things for me or stay at my 8-5 job M-F .. I took the new challenge and haven't looked back since ... multiple promotions / multiple leads with manufacturing / data / information technology ... Did I like the hours .. nope .. but I knew if I worked hard and showed I can do it .. pay raises and adjustments would come with it .. Bottom line is .. study hard in school.. Don't blame Disney or ay other company (Seattle just passed $15 hr .. move there to buy your $6 cup of coffee, which will now be $8) If you don't like what you do, change, or open your own business ( you pay the taxes/electric bills/mortgage/employees/healthcare) ....... FORD / Gates / Ballmher / Ellison / Zuckerburg all college dropouts ... Who remembers "Pet Rocks" .. they guy made millions off "Pet Rocks" .. Last thing, Eddie York could not be reached for comment.

 

[TaoBoxer]

Keep an eye on Seattle, where they raised minimum wage to 15$ per hr. When the cost of wages goes up, 2 things generally happen : either the cost of "product" rises or jobs get cut which lowers service. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

[njDizFan]

Keep an eye on Seattle, where they raised minimum wage to 15$ per hr. When the cost of wages goes up, 2 things generally happen : either the cost of "product" rises or jobs get cut which lowers service. Tell me I'm wrong.

http://www.pugetsoundsage.org/downl...tcomes of a $15 Minimum Wage in Seattle_1.pdf

They would disagree

 

[CDavid]

http://www.pugetsoundsage.org/downloads/Economic and Equity Outcomes of a $15 Minimum Wage in Seattle_1.pdf

They would disagree

Price increases due to an increase in the minimum wage are often greatly exaggerated, but I didn't realize just how insignificant it might be, according to this report. From page 10:

With an immediate jump to $15 per hour written into the initiative, we estimated that prices could soon
increase between .5% and 1.5%.

 

[TaoBoxer]

http://www.pugetsoundsage.org/downloads/Economic and Equity Outcomes of a $15 Minimum Wage in Seattle_1.pdf

They would disagree

They can disagree. We'll see in a couple of years for sure.

 

[slappy magoo]

Keep an eye on Seattle, where they raised minimum wage to 15$ per hr. When the cost of wages goes up, 2 things generally happen : either the cost of "product" rises or jobs get cut which lowers service. Tell me I'm wrong.

Basically you're wrong. That's what the Chicken Littles always claim will happen, and some businesses make a show of laying off workers without having to, or jacking up prices to a ridiculous degree, to "prove it." But eventually some costs of items go up a few cents, we all absorb it, the economy improves, and years down the line prices go up due to regular inflation versus any doomsaying. This has been studied for decades and because these improvements to the economy are usually small and incremental, they provide the stimulus they're designed to achieve. Your example of Seattle? They don't suddenly have a $15 hr minimum wage, it'll be phased in over years. Your prophecy would be far more likely had it been instant. But it wasn't so it's not.

 

[TaoBoxer]

Basically you're wrong. That's what the Chicken Littles always claim will happen, and some businesses make a show of laying off workers without having to, or jacking up prices to a ridiculous degree, to "prove it." But eventually some costs of items go up a few cents, we all absorb it, the economy improves, and years down the line prices go up due to regular inflation versus any doomsaying. This has been studied for decades and because these improvements to the economy are usually small and incremental, they provide the stimulus they're designed to achieve. Your example of Seattle? They don't suddenly have a $15 hr minimum wage, it'll be phased in over years. Your prophecy would be far more likely had it been instant. But it wasn't so it's not.

We'll see. I hope that you're right & I'm wrong.

 

[Tom Morrow]

They also worked hard to get there, put in untold hours and have ulcers the size of basketballs in their stomach. And at the end of the day are responsible for the careers of tons of people. But sure, any Tom, Dick or Harry could come off the street and do it. Might as well let a janitor perform brain surgery too

No matter how hard their job is, doesn't mean they deserve their disgustingly huge salaries that could end world hunger.

 

[DisneyCane]

No matter how hard their job is, doesn't mean they deserve their disgustingly huge salaries that could end world hunger.

Hyperbole like this drives me crazy. If you combined the salaries of every CEO in the US that makes over $1 Million a year, it wouldn't come close to ending world hunger. The US gives $1.6 Billion dollars a year in economic aid just to Ethiopia and Kenya. The cost to feed the world's hungry has been estimated by the UN to be $30 Billion a year. Even then, it is a fake number because analysis has shown that there isn't enough food PRODUCED worldwide so it isn't there to buy. Ending world hunger requires corrupt 3rd world governments to use the aid they are given to develop agriculture.

I also take issue with your comment about "their disgustingly huge salaries." A CEO making some insane amount of money doesn't make any difference to you or me (and trust me, my income isn't on the same planet as even a lower level Disney executive). It's just jealousy that comes out or a feeling that nobody deserves to be rich. There isn't a pie of money in the economy. A dollar to Iger doesn't mean that it came from you.

In fact, it can be argued that our economic growth depends on people that are able to afford it buying goods and services that they don't really need. If everybody just earned "enough" then we would be living like the Amish and all anybody would afford is food and shelter.

Additionally, the Government needs people that make insane salaries because they contribute a huge percentage of the tax base. The top 1% of earners pay 39% of total income taxes. If the top 1% all had their earnings cut in half, that 19.5% of income tax would have to come from the lower 99% which would require tax increases at all levels. These increases would be a huge burden for the people lower on the income ladder.

 

[Figment2005]

Part of running a successful business is proper treatment of your employees; You should not expect your workers to provide exceptional (premium) service to your customers if they are themselves underpaid and unappreciated. You may well be able to get people to do the job for something less than a reasonable wage, but that doesn't mean it is acceptable to pay such unreasonably low wages just because you can get away with it. You pay what is necessary to get qualified employees - so long as the pay scale meets an appropriate minimum. For many Disney CM positions (and the national minimum wage) it arguably does not.

The way I have seen it, many employees do not feel like they are treated badly. With the CP cast most of them treat it like a huge party and expect a party is what they will get. Yes, the pay could be better on all fronts, but to be considered treated poorly is a matter of opinion that varies. The ones that complain the most, from my experience, are the ones that never tried or possibly tried and failed at moving up, and are now stuck in their current position.

 

[roodlesnouter]

Roodlesnouter; Don't like the pay? get a new job. Simples.

Yes, this thread is clearly what I expected. Right wing agenda being shoveled like the manure that it is ... is slappy around?

Seems like my post ruffled a few feathers whilst on the same hand several people are in agreement.

I had no political agenda when posting the above quote I merely was speaking from my own experience, let me elaborate.

I have been in low paid jobs, struggled with house repossesion (twice), brought up a family on a mimimum wage and that is no ones fault other than my own, I should have and could have done better in school. When times were tough and I had little money (not that I have a lot now) I looked to help myself rather than demanding the company(s) pay me more. I do not see that as being "right wing" just that I believe everyone has the same chance in life and no one owes you anything. You get out of life what you put in and if you keep doing what you do you will keep getting what you get. I went on courses, self taught myself new skills and made myself more employable for a higher paying job.

On he other side of the fence I used to run a small business, my staff were paid minmum wage and I took even less than that to try and keep my business runnining and my staff in a job. The government then decided to increase the minimum wage which inflated my wage bill and reduced my profits, 4 months later I had to close my business and myself and 7 staff were out of a job.

What was better being paid a minimum wage or being out of work?

I am sorry that my quote upset a few people and I can assure that was never the intention, maybe it was worded a little harshly and maybe you will still disagree with me having posted this but hey we all have different opnions and outlooks on life and that is what makes for a lively debate. Shame that some choose to be offensive in debate rather than offer up challenging counter arguement.

Peace.

ps who/what is slappy?

 

[Figment2005]

Part of running a successful business is proper treatment of your employees; You should not expect your workers to provide exceptional (premium) service to your customers if they are themselves underpaid and unappreciated. You may well be able to get people to do the job for something less than a reasonable wage, but that doesn't mean it is acceptable to pay such unreasonably low wages just because you can get away with it. You pay what is necessary to get qualified employees - so long as the pay scale meets an appropriate minimum. For many Disney CM positions (and the national minimum wage) it arguably does not.

The way I have seen it, many employees do not feel like they are treated badly. With the CP cast most of them treat it like a huge party and expect a party is what they will get. Yes, the pay could be better on all fronts, but to be considered treated poorly is a matter of opinion that varies. The ones that complain the most, from my experience, are the ones that never tried or possibly tried and failed at moving up, and are now stuck in their current position.

 

[CDavid]

The cost to feed the world's hungry has been estimated by the UN to be $30 Billion a year. Even then, it is a fake number because analysis has shown that there isn't enough food PRODUCED worldwide so it isn't there to buy. Ending world hunger requires corrupt 3rd world governments to use the aid they are given to develop agriculture.

While almost certainly the biggest issue with world hunger is corrupt, inefficient, or oppressive governments which completely fail to take effective, practical steps to feed (and house) their populations, I'm not buying that there isn't sufficient food produced worldwide to feed everyone. I'd really like to see a source for that statistic. It appears to be more of a logistical problem - getting the food from where we (generally) have an abundance (such as America) to where it is needed; You have people hungry or starving while a world away food production is curtailed because it will spoil before it can be sold or used.

The way I have seen it, many employees do not feel like they are treated badly. With the CP cast most of them treat it like a huge party and expect a party is what they will get. Yes, the pay could be better on all fronts, but to be considered treated poorly is a matter of opinion that varies. The ones that complain the most, from my experience, are the ones that never tried or possibly tried and failed at moving up, and are now stuck in their current position.

The description of workers as "treated badly' is indeed a relative term, but if said employees are being paid a wage which is unreasonably or inappropriately low, that alone may constitute bad treatment whether anyone really complains or not (wage issues may be seen as something they have little or no control over). If you have a good work environment and are treated with respect many would not consider that poor treatment and may even express satisfaction with the job, but then ask them about their hourly wages and you might expect a very different story.

 

[draybook]

Don't like the pay? get a new job. Simples.

Yeah, because jobs are like groceries. You can just head out and pick out whichever one you like........

 

[dadddio]

Yeah, because jobs are like groceries. You can just head out and pick out whichever one you like........

True, but you do still have a choice in whether to take a job and to keep it. When you do accept a job, you are telling the employer that you are willing to do that job to his standards for the salary that is being offered. If you later decide that the salary isn't sufficient, then the onus is on you to find a job that pays sufficiently. You can ask for more pay, but the employer is not somehow treating you bad by not giving you more money. He is giving you what you agreed to work for.

 

[draybook]

True, but you do still have a choice in whether to take a job and to keep it. When you do accept a job, you are telling the employer that you are willing to do that job to his standards for the salary that is being offered. If you later decide that the salary isn't sufficient, then the onus is on you to find a job that pays sufficiently. You can ask for more pay, but the employer is not somehow treating you bad by not giving you more money. He is giving you what you agreed to work for.

And you're also able to make the choice to ask for better pay. In this day and age where the working man is getting peanuts while the CEOs are making some serious bank, I hardly think less of people that want to ask for more.

 

[psukardi]

And you're also able to make the choice to ask for better pay. In this day and age where the working man is getting peanuts while the CEOs are making some serious bank, I hardly think less of people that want to ask for more.

They can ask for more but if their skills don't demand more they won't get it. A burger flipper is a burger flipper for a reason

 

[seascape]

If you don't like the way Disney negotiated in the past don't worry. The guy who handled employees negotiations in the past no longer works for Disney. He is not at Universal. That is probably why Disney started with what most people think is a reasonable starting point. Was that their final offer. Of course not. Do cast members deserve a raise. Of course they do. Will all employees ever be treated based solely von their work. NO, that never happens. I am in a union and do more work than anyone else in my division. Am I compensated for it? No, the union and management decide who get promoted based on their own politics. The union gets to pick some and so does management. That is how they work. What n matters to me is my own work ethic and that even though I am not treated the I feel I should be I am still paid a reasonable wage and I think for the most part Disney does too. But the cast members still deserve a better wage based on their productivity and company profits and ability veto pay. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect cast members to be able to afford vacations like the ones they give me. It's the cast members who provide the extra level of service I have come to expect and enjoy and I don't mind paying for it.

 

[draybook]

They can ask for more but if their skills don't demand more they won't get it. A burger flipper is a burger flipper for a reason

So what is a worker that handles the safety of the rides that you ride?

 

[CDavid]

They can ask for more but if their skills don't demand more they won't get it. A burger flipper is a burger flipper for a reason

What reason is that? A burger flipper is a burger flipper because their employer needs someone to fulfill that job function. It's not any reflection on the employee's skills or aptitude; Many who get their start in fast food ("flipping burgers") go on to become doctors, schoolteachers, Fortune 500 CEO's and other prestigious careers.

That said, a pay raise is not solely dependent on job skills. Wages must rise periodically if for no other reason than to keep up with inflation and, again, due to minimum wage increases and job market conditions.