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

[TrainsOfDisney]

Possibly the paltry $7.25/hr federal minimum wage (which is WI's minimum wage).

You think $15,000 a year is adequate compensation for a full time job?

 

[Lilofan]

$30k/yr is a poverty wage in Central Florida.

That's about $24k after taxes. $500/wk.

The average 1br apartment in Orlando is $1700/mo. That's $300 for everything else over the course of a month.

Good luck.

Get a second job, work OT, brown bag, get roommates, streamline discretionary spending , sell stuff you don't need , WDW is looking for bus drivers. It may earn the CM more than selling Toad popcorn buckets, live outside Orlando , think out of the box etc.

 

[Lilofan]

Because it’s too high of a wage for that skill set…same as flipping burgers, pumping gas (in my state), etc. We’ll always disagree…it’s an entry level job. Move up the latter and earn more.
No I’m not…if I can’t support my life, my rent, my transportation on what I’m making, I find another job in addition to or instead of that pays more.

Opportunities are out there for higher paying jobs with more responsibility but some just choose to fight for more money doing the same role.

 

[mkt]

Get a second job, work OT, brown bag, get roommates, streamline discretionary spending , sell stuff you don't need , WDW is looking for bus drivers. It may earn the CM more than selling Toad popcorn buckets, live outside Orlando , think out of the box etc.

A few notes.

1- Second Job/OT. So you're saying people don't deserve to have a life outside of work?

2- When you're left with $300/mo to cover everything after rent, there is no "discretionary spending".

3- At some point you run out of things to sell.

4- Bus drivers. This requires a CDL. CDL classes cost money.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Walt Disney World isn’t the same as other parks. It’s a massive, all year operation. It’s not the same as other parks that can scale up and down with seasonal and part time labor. Work you might think should only be part time or for teenagers/young adults simply can’t operate at the required scale limiting itself to that labor pool.

Here’s a question, why do you want lesser service and quality? Why do you want restaurants at Walt Disney World to remain closed? Why do you want more crowding due to reduced staffing? What do you lose by Disney paying its staff more? You can’t say you lose money when the required price increases are negligible, especially compared to price increases that have already occurred.

oh very easy because I want business to have the ability to operate as the market sees fit. If wdw is packing the house with all these things you say are going on, then why force them to increase their operating cost on some notion that every one has to make what some arbitrary person deems as "livable".
now first I've never had "lesser" service nor quality and you're making a huge assumption that paying cm more will automatically result in better service or quality. Ironically the worst trip we ever had was our first trip in the 80's which according to many here were the "golden" years at disney.

you are correct I have zero skin in the game of what Disney pays it staff nor do I give a fuzzy navel. I just think pay should be based on a variety of things non of them just because some one manages to make it to work every day. Oh like their supposed to .

 

[mkt]

I find another job in addition to or instead of that pays more.

So the options are 1- have no life thanks to a second job, or 2- make Disney even more short staffed.

Honestly, go for option 2 and force Disney's hand. That's why Disney's so short staffed right now. Most of the CM's that were laid off post-covid got better jobs.

 

[Ayla]

You think $15,000 a year is adequate compensation for a full time job?

Absolutely not. I am 100% on your side. I'm speculating on what the other viewpoint thinks is a (laughable) "living" wage.

Gotta keep the poors down, ya know.

 

[Lilofan]

A few notes.

1- Second Job/OT. So you're saying people don't deserve to have a life outside of work?

2- When you're left with $300/mo to cover everything after rent, there is no "discretionary spending".

3- At some point you run out of things to sell.

4- Bus drivers. This requires a CDL. CDL classes cost money.

In WDW, the mouse picks up the tab -CDL
Typical complaint - I want to make more money but don't want to seek a promotion that pays more or work beyond 40 hours.

 

[eliza61nyc]

A few notes.

1- Second Job/OT. So you're saying people don't deserve to have a life outside of work?

2- When you're left with $300/mo to cover everything after rent, there is no "discretionary spending".

3- At some point you run out of things to sell.

4- Bus drivers. This requires a CDL. CDL classes cost money.

1. oh so sorry you can't party and make as much as you want. Exactly what I told my son when he thought about quitting his job because it was "interfering" with his social life. lol, I left out the stronger language I actually used.
2. Fedex is also hiring for bus drivers and will train you to get your cdl for free with a 4 year guarantee (exactly what mynephew did last year and now he's moving up into the logistic division). along with a crap load of trucking companies that can't find employees. oh and his long term goal is to be an owner operator which is ridiculous money
3. Then you figure out what jobs pay what you need and make a plan to get those jobs. you don't whine that the company owes you a higher salary.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Opportunities are out there for higher paying jobs with more responsibility but some just choose to fight for more money doing the same role.

Wait… so cm’s shouldn’t expect a yearly raise either?

 

[peter11435]

Opportunities are out there for higher paying jobs with more responsibility but some just choose to fight for more money doing the same role.

That’s a nice thought but it doesn’t truly work that way. Disney has 10’s of thousands of employees that barely make enough to live. There are not enough opportunities for all of them. And even if there were, there would still be a need to fill 10’s of thousands of underpaid rolls… and now those people would not make enough to live.

 

[mkt]

In WDW, the mouse picks up the tab -CDL

I did not know that, thank you for educating me.

Typical complaint - I want to make more money but don't want to seek a promotion that pays more or work beyond 40 hours.

I get a vibe that if enough CMs leave for better jobs, causing the company to be even more short-staffed, you'd complain about "no one wanting to work"

 

[mkt]

That’s a nice thought but it doesn’t truly work that way. Disney has 10’s of thousands of employees that barely make enough to live. There are not enough opportunities for all of them. And even if there were, there would still be a need to fill 10’s of thousands of underpaid rolls… and now those people would not make enough to live.

Without factoring in that Disney, as it is, is already way understaffed.

 

[peter11435]

Without factoring in that Disney, as it is, is already way understaffed.

Massively understaffed

 

[mkt]

1. oh so sorry you can't party and make as much as you want. Exactly what I told my son when he thought about quitting his job because it was "interfering" with his social life. lol, I left out the stronger language I actually used.
2. Fedex is also hiring for bus drivers and will train you to get your cdl for free with a 4 year guarantee (exactly what mynephew did last year and now he's moving up into the logistic division). along with a crap load of trucking companies that can't find employees. oh and his long term goal is to be an owner operator which is ridiculous money
3. Then you figure out what jobs pay what you need and make a plan to get those jobs. you don't whine that the company owes you a higher salary.

1- Who is talking about partying? I'm talking about going home to rest after work, and having time to do the other things one does in their life, like getting groceries, going to the post office, and paying their bills for example. If you're getting a second job, you're not resting, and everything else has to suffer.

2- Neat.

3- This isn't whining. This is negotiating.

 

[eliza61nyc]

So the options are 1- have no life thanks to a second job, or 2- make Disney even more short staffed.

Honestly, go for option 2 and force Disney's hand. That's why Disney's so short staffed right now. Most of the CM's that were laid off post-covid got better jobs.

of course not, the options are take a temporary second job while working toward a career that will give you the life you need.
and 2. taking responsibility and recognizing that you are in a dead end job.

and that's what should happen., THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE GOAL!! the goal for all our youngins should be to get better careers, Philadelphia for once in it's life did a smart thing with the covid grant money that they got. they offered anyone who was a server or worked in home health industries paths to better jobs. and two of our universities teamed up with the city to offer a few programs at deeply discounted tuition (RN was one of them).
The smart people hopped on the chance to get out of waitressing. and yes our restaurants are short staffed but guess what, our tax base is growing because now we have folks with good paying jobs (sustainable wages) that are buying stuff like condos and taking vacations.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

taking responsibility and recognizing that you are in a dead end job.

You’d be so much fun at the CM recognition award nights.

 

[Patcheslee]

Then mark my words, through attrition, the numbers of F/T cast members will be reduced. I’m not going to apologize, but NO ONE serving my dole whip, selling Mr Toad popcorn buckets or putting the tape down on Main Street for the 3:00 parade need or deserve 40k/yr

Wouldn't the contract specify F/T to P/T ratio?

 

[lazyboy97o]

oh very easy because I want business to have the ability to operate as the market sees fit. If wdw is packing the house with all these things you say are going on, then why force them to increase their operating cost on some notion that every one has to make what some arbitrary person deems as "livable".
now first I've never had "lesser" service nor quality and you're making a huge assumption that paying cm more will automatically result in better service or quality. Ironically the worst trip we ever had was our first trip in the 80's which according to many here were the "golden" years at disney.

you are correct I have zero skin in the game of what Disney pays it staff nor do I give a fuzzy navel. I just think pay should be based on a variety of things non of them just because some one manages to make it to work every day. Oh like they’re supposed to .

None of this addresses anything. You’re arguing largely against a narrative that you have made up. You claim to be about the market and more than just showing up, completely ignore the existing market (Disney desperately needs more people) and try to make comparisons that ignore what makes working at Walt Disney World different from seemingly similar jobs.

I said absolutely nothing about a living wage.

The idea that there is no operational impact to not having enough staff is laughable in its outright ridiculousness. Venues operating at reduced capacity or sitting closed are not improving the Walt Disney World experience. And yes, creating a scenario where you’re keeping people and free to turn down applicants absolutely allows you to select the best candidates and retain the best employees.

If you didn’t “give a fuzzy navel” you wouldn’t constantly be arguing against raises, even when it means adjusting to to things you claim to consider important like the market. Disney has tons of open jobs, so clearly the market is saying they need to improve their competitiveness, but you and others are railing against that very sort of reaction to the market.

 

[eliza61nyc]

You’d be so much fun at the CM recognition award nights.&

Actually Trains, I am a lot of fun and in my real world I volunteer a lot in my community with the underserved population.
I just really do try and be a "realist" with my kids and those I mentor. Pumping gas is never going to afford you a good life style, working in 6 flags, slinging pizza at Manco & manco down at the jersey shore is always going to be at the bottom of the proverbial food chain.