Andrew C
You know what's funny?
They gotta do what they gotta do...but I still think it is crazy...
And that money will need to come from somewhere...
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News Disney World Cast Member unions to begin week of negotiations for wage increases, healthcare costs and more
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
And that money will need to come from somewhere...
I was a dishwasher on the work study financial aid package back in the day 4 years of college. Good times working with friends, eating for free and taking wrapped leftovers with permission back to the dorm for late night munchies.
MrPromey
Well-Known Member
Don't worry - they're rolling out 100 year merch. Between that and the next popcorn bucket release, they should be fine, even if that popcorn bucket under-performs a little.
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TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
In 2018 a 1-day ticket to MK was $119
In 2023 it starts at $134 but is currently $168 this week.
In 2023 it starts at $134 but is currently $168 this week.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Well universal has been paying dishwashers at least $17 an hour already.
If opening the gate at the WDW Railroad pays $17 id still take that job over dishwasher at $1 more! Haha
The unions better enjoy their small victory while they can. Some 3 years ago it was estimated there were 10 million illegal aliens, and in the last 3 year approx 7 million more have entered the country. The answer is very simple, change the immigration laws to allow the 17 million to have work visas. Florida is a right to work state. If all of a sudden there a millions of available laborers, well you can bet your bottom dollar that the next contract will call for zero increases, that is if Disney does not just decide to let them all go an replace all of them (if they can do it with their IT department they certainly can with CMs).
Eric Graham
Well-Known Member
So very happy that Disney employees received increases in pay. I thought they should have received bonuses when they worked during the pandemic.
Mr. Moderate
Well-Known Member
I'm conflicted on this, but I'm happy for the CM's who for far too long were paid terrible wages and should have been treated better in the past. I do know that Disney will not just take the brunt of this and absorb the costs and even more price hikes are on their way. It's going to make for some interesting times and I'm pretty sure the economy isn't going to adjust to this too well and there will be some growing pains coming. However with our manufacturing base gone and the high paying jobs they provided gone as well, what do you do to fill the millions of jobs across the country that some don't deem worthy of a living wage? I don't have the answers, but I have worries of runaway inflation getting much worse and prices getting even more beyond our reach. Disney has already priced my family out of going to the parks like we did in the past, so I imagine there will be many more in my situation. I hope Disney can find a middle ground here.
In reality I just wish Disney would have treated the front line CM's better in the past and not had the pay structure they do for the top level executives who make in my opinion, some serious money, including huge bonuses. It should have never gotten to that point imho and more attention given to those CM's working hard to make Disney World special for the guests. I don't even know how some of them got by working for the Disney Parks on both coasts and trying to survive in the greater Orlando and Anaheim area?
I'm sorry for rambling and this is a complicated subject for me.
In reality I just wish Disney would have treated the front line CM's better in the past and not had the pay structure they do for the top level executives who make in my opinion, some serious money, including huge bonuses. It should have never gotten to that point imho and more attention given to those CM's working hard to make Disney World special for the guests. I don't even know how some of them got by working for the Disney Parks on both coasts and trying to survive in the greater Orlando and Anaheim area?
I'm sorry for rambling and this is a complicated subject for me.
GrumpyFan
Well-Known Member
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.
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.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
That’s a great take on the situation and I can promise you that IF the economy tanks, and we are hit with even higher inflation which causes attendance to free fall, those unfortunate CM’s will face layoffs.
Look, I have feelings and empathy for the CM’s, I’m not heartless and neither is anyone else on here…it’s just as a former small business owner, I KNOW what it’s like on the other side. I wish EACH & EVERY CM, unionized and not, the best…if the recession hits, this whole conversation will be for naught.
Then so be it.
Do you think if CMs were paid less they would be immune to layoffs? Do you think they would have more protections if they were not unionized? What point are you trying to make here?
el_super
Well-Known Member
Generally speaking, Disney's prices are more impacted by market conditions than they are actual costs. If their analysts are doing their jobs correctly, the ticket prices are already exactly at (or close to) the maximum the market will bear for the strategic objectives they are trying to reach. So increasing CM wages probably won't have much impact on gate prices or food prices.
What is more likely is reduction in shifts and cuts to operating hours.
I haven't seen the specifics of this agreement, but generally when these things get hashed out, it's not necessarily a reduction in benefits as it is moving benefits from different groups within the union. I wouldn't be surprised if the real key disagreements were between wage increases at the higher seniority levels versus entry level. Disney would benefit more from bumping up entry level wages, but the unions tend to fight for giving the bulk of wage increases to the ones with more seniority.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
Nope, what I’m saying is that PERHAPS if the increases were not as high, potential layoffs wouldn’t be as widespread and instead of laying off 1000 CM’s, maybe it would be 500.
There’s two vastly different sides here and I don’t think the two sides will ever agree except to say to the CM’s congratulations on the pay hikes and good luck
CastAStone
5th gate? Just build a new resort Bob.
This 100% this. No major company sets prices by adding a margin to cost anymore unless they have no choice. It’s whatever they think they can get away with, and input costs don’t change that.
LSLS
Well-Known Member
Now come on. THIS is going to result in price hikes? THIS? Maybe the excuse is thrown out there for this to cause it, but lets be real, they have been astronomically increasing prices since Iger took over at least, and finding new and sneakier ways to do so. The amount needed to be hiked to cover this at current prices are legit things you wouldn't even notice. I bet the money they generate from Genie + would cover another $2 per cast member. Same with the cost for parking at hotels/elimination of Magic Express. Yeah, prices will go up, cause that's what Iger does. This is not the reason for it, just more of an excuse.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Being a right to work state doesn’t mean Disney can just drop the collective bargaining agreements. More workers doesn’t fix issues such as housing supply.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
I think you missed my point, Disney can’t just pick up and move to an area with cheap labor so they have no choice but to pay the wages demanded in the area they’re in. That will be true until they aren’t profitable anymore or it’s more profitable to build elsewhere, then they’ll close and rebuild somewhere else. Only then will the union lose its upper hand, and it’s unfortunately something we’ve see over and over.
There was a time car manufacturing was like this because it would be too expensive to build new plants, but they reached a breaking point and did it. The same is true of all industries, everyone, even Disney, will have a breaking point where it becomes cheaper to build new buildings than to pay ever increasing wages.
(And the wages have doubled over the last ten years, that rate of growth isn’t sustainable, $10 to 20 by 2025 can be absorbed, $20 to 40 by 2035 could likely even be absorbed, but $40 to $80 by 2045 and they likely close the doors, that’s an obviously exaggerated example but meant to show there’s a breaking point, even at Disney.)
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TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Disney is not a small business neither is any major theme park.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
Your insight is extraordinary…I’m fully aware of the size of TWDC…whether you’re a mom & Pop business or a multibillion business, the view from the other side of the counter is still the same.