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

[Vegas Disney Fan]

This isn’t a finance or economics lesson, while yes the cost of labor will increase within the parks division, Disney was already planning these 7,000 layoffs and they started to occur before this raise was even approved. I feel like I’m bashing my head into a wall saying this over and over again

Disneys was in negotiations with the union long before the layoffs were announced, they knew the raise was coming so they would have planned for it.

Not sure why it’s so controversial to admit a company will make cuts to offset increased costs, they all do it, we all do it in our personal lives too.

The real question is how many jobs were lost because of increased labor costs vs the number lost due to inflation, D+ loses, some box office bombs, Chapek restructuring, etc, etc, etc. Labor is definitely a factor, likely a minor one though.

 

[Lilofan]

No correlation. Union jobs are still greatly understaffed at Disney world. They have billboards, radio adds and internet adds for union roles at Disney World. This was unheard of pre pandemic. Also serval positions like culinary and house keeping have significant hiring bonuses foe new hires and referrals. None of the frontline workers in parks or resorts are going to be laid off. However a lot of salaried and hourly supervisors that are nonunion could be let go.

I'm wondering whats the % of union cast compared to non union cast? Cast are under no obligation to pay dues to join the union and both still get the same raise. The non union cast working alongside the union cast get the same increases and make out in the end - no weekly union dues taken out of their paychecks. New hires I have heard are pressured to join the union but no obligation to join.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Not sure why it’s so controversial to admit a company will make cuts to offset increased costs, they all do it, we all do it in our personal lives too.

It’s not controversial, but like you said in your post, the layoffs related to increased labor costs are minor, if any.

 

[MrPromey]

Costs of doing business can be divided into 3 buckets known as Labor, Material, and Overhead. If one portion of Labor cost increases and another portion decreases, one offsets the other. In the final calculation, both increases and decreases are related either directly or indirectly.

So true which leads me to wonder why we don't have 2,500 post threads with people complaining about the wholesale costs of turkey legs.

 

[Disstevefan1]

So true which leads me to wonder why we don't have 2,500 post threads with people complaining about the wholesale costs of turkey legs.

WDW could overnight double the price of a turkey leg and folks would still buy it.

 

[MrPromey]

It’s not controversial, but like you said in your post, the layoffs related to increased labor costs are minor, if any.

And just like other aspects of business, it's something that has to be paid.

The controversy is how some people want to make it seem like what the cast was after was somehow immoral or are aghast that a dish-washer might soon be making $18 an hour.

If people are so jelly, maybe they should quit their jobs, move to central Florida and hop on that gravy train for themselves.

After all, I hear Disney's hiring.

Any takers?

 

[CastAStone]

WDW could overnight double the price of a turkey leg and folks would still buy it.

Unseasoned poultry. It’s amazing people pay half of what it costs today.

 

[MrPromey]

WDW could overnight double the price of a turkey leg and folks would still buy it.

Which is why so many people seeming angry about this puzzles me.

 

[Andrew C]

are aghast that a dish-washer might soon be making $18 an hour.

And rightfully so, people are allowed to have feelings about things...but that wage is Disney's business....and maybe the business of the independent restaurants in the area that likely cannot afford to pay their dishwashers $18 bucks an hour. WDW doesn't exist in a vacuum....

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Which is why so many people seeming angry about this puzzles me.

Disney fans are a strange breed because we love the company and simultaneously are angry about most things they do.

We get angry when they don’t build something new every year and simultaneously angry when they do build something new but it’s not the same as it used to be, angry when they don’t renovate their hotels and simultaneously angry when they do renovate but they change the look of a sofa cushion we liked… us being angry about anything they do should be expected at this point.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

and maybe the business of the independent restaurants in the area that likely cannot afford to pay their dishwashers $18 bucks an hour. WDW doesn't exist in a vacuum....

My business can’t let a division lose $4billion in a year. Life’s not fair.

Those restaurants are free to alter their course of business as needed.

 

[MrPromey]

And rightfully so, people are allowed to have feelings about things...but that wage is Disney's business....and maybe the business of the independent restaurants in the area that likely cannot afford to pay their dishwashers $18 bucks an hour. WDW doesn't exist in a vacuum....

Nope, which is why they had to do this.

They exist in a (semi) free market.

Universal already announced $17 an hour (on their own, without negotiations) which is what WDW cast will now also be making through most of the rest of this year.

Even with that extra $1 kicking in at some point, a lot will still probably consider Universal a preferable place to work.

 

[Andrew C]

Those restaurants are free to alter their course of business as needed.

Free to do so? sigh....

 

[MrPromey]

Disney fans are a strange breed because we love the company and simultaneously are angry about most things they do.

We get angry when they don’t build something new every year and simultaneously angry when they do build something new but it’s not the same as it used to be, angry when they don’t renovate their hotels and simultaneously angry when they do renovate but they change the look of a sofa cushion we liked… us being angry about anything they do should be expected at this point.

I went with the thumbs up because I was afraid the laugh response wouldn't send the full message but if I could have given that both, I would have.

 

[Andrew C]

Nope which is why they had to do this.

They exist in a (semi) free market.

Universal already announced $17 an hour which is what WDW cast will now also be making through most of the rest of this year.

Even with that extra $1 kicking in at some point, a lot will still probably consider Universal a preferable place to work.

As I said...the wage is their business and maybe they did what they thought was best for their company and CMs. I can still call it out as a ridiculous amount (we all have opinions) and believe that the impact goes beyond WDW...

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Free to do so? sigh....

And if they can’t, that’s their problem. Disney CMs shouldn’t suffer because nearby places of employment can’t pay the same.

Disney+ lost BILLIONS of dollars last year. The local restaurants you’re referring to don’t even make a billion dollars in 5 years.

Working for Disney is completely different than working at your local Mexican restaurant.

 

[MrPromey]

As I said...the wage is their business and maybe they did what they thought was best for their company and CMs. I can still call it out as a ridiculous amount (we all have opinions) and believe that the impact goes beyond WDW...

I've been following this thread. I sure know you can.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

As I said...the wage is their business and maybe they did what they thought was best for their company and CMs. I can still call it out as a ridiculous amount (we all have opinions) and believe that the impact goes beyond WDW...

That’s only your opinion and not reality though. It’s not an unheard of number for the role. The average salary of a dishwasher in the state of Washington is $17.95.

 

[Andrew C]

And if they can’t, that’s their problem.

It is their problem. I agree. But let's not pretend they can freely adjust so easily...

Working for Disney is completely different than working at your local Mexican restaurant.

the job of a dishwasher doesn't really differ....

 

[MagicHappens1971]

the job of a dishwasher doesn't really differ....

Yeah, it does. The volume of Disney restaurants, and therefore the amount of plates, pans, etc they have, is so so so much larger than again, those local restaurants.

I’m not pretending they can adjust so freely, but quite frankly, I don’t care.