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

[Andrew C]

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.

Yes, they may have to move their arms more...huge difference in the skills required.

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

You have made it clear you have no sympathy for others....

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

By that logic it’s not fair that Disney builds a $300 million coaster when poor Fun Spot or Old Town can’t compete.

 

[MrPromey]

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

Guess we'll see how this plays out, then.

I look forward to your next trip report when you can let us know if you're favorite local place has switched to paper plates and plastic forks or if Universal and Disney are the only two places in town left serving food.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Yes, they may have to move their arms more...huge difference in the skills required.

It’s a much more strenuous job, have you ever been a dishwasher? Because I have. In a high volume restaurant and a low volume restaurant. Vastly different.

You have made it clear you have no sympathy for others....

I do have sympathy for others, but we are comparing to apples to oranges. I also don’t understand how Disney raising their wages and local places being unable or unwilling to compete is Disneys fault.

I’m sympathetic to the service industry employees (of which I have been in for the past 7 years) who are consistently, underpaid, overworked and under appreciated.

I’m sympathetic to the Disney CMs who have had to live in their car because Disney “can’t afford” to pay them more.

What I am not sympathetic to, is the argument that because one company did one thing, that if another doesn’t follow suit, is the first companies fault.

At the end of the day, businesses must evolve and adapt, or they will fail.

 

[Andrew C]

It’s a much more strenuous job, have you ever been a dishwasher? Because I have

Yes.

I’m sympathetic to the service industry employees (of which I have been in for the past 7 years) who are consistently, underpaid, overworked and under appreciated.

Maybe not the ones outside of the Disney bubble though, it seems?

I also don’t understand how Disney raising their wages and local places being unable to compete is Disneys fault.

It isn't their fault. Only recognizing that there could potentially be consequences for others. I could be wrong though given the unique nature of WDW and the amount of business they bring to the area in general.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Maybe not the ones outside of the Disney bubble though, it seems?

I'm from South Florida, the only time I worked in Orlando or for Disney was for 6 months during my CP.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

also, still a stupid amount.

I think Iger’s salary is a stupid amount but that doesn’t change the market rate for a CEO at a major corporation.

 

[Andrew C]

I think Iger’s salary is a stupid amount but that doesn’t change the market rate for a CEO at a major corporation.

You think the market rate in Orlando for a dishwasher is $18? I wound be very surprised.

For Washington state, the minimum wage is almost $16 i believe. So maybe less about the market directly and more about the government.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

You think the market rate in Orlando for a dishwasher is $18?

It’s not what I think, it’s a fact. The current market rate for a dishwasher at a major theme park in Orlando is 17-18 an hour.

 

[CastAStone]

You think the market rate in Orlando for a dishwasher is $18? I wound be very surprised.

Well Disney has been offering $16 for a while with no success, so probably, yeah. much of central Florida is usually staffed by immigrants in their first jobs and there has been virtually no immigration since 2020 because of the pandemic so there’s some gaps in quantity of low wage employees there.

 

[CastAStone]

You think the market rate in Orlando for a dishwasher is $18? I wound be very surprised.

For Washington state, the minimum wage is almost $16 i believe. So maybe less about the market directly and more about the government.

By the way if you think the union picked the 5-6 roles getting extra wage increases, I don’t know what to tell you. Those are the exact jobs that Disney has been offering sign on bonuses on for 2 years and that Disnry has publicly blame the lack of staff in for the ongoing closures of certain restaurants and other facilities. Disney WANTS to pay more for those roles.

 

[Touchdown]

Despite what most people think here I say good on the unions for pressing their advantage and getting concessions. I’m happy for them (this is how capitalism works.) Just don’t complain about your pay for awhile.

 

[tallica]

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.

even if you don't join the union it is still a union job/role. since the pandemic a lot of CMs have left the union for various reasons, but mostly due to feeling that the union has let them down. The unions represent about 40,000 CMs out of about 70,000. I do not know what % of the 40,000 actually are paying dues. nonunion jobs are mostly supervisors, call center and office jobs. https://www.uniteherelocal362.org/stcu-directory/

 

[-em]

My frustration is that loyalty/longevity means you end up with less than your newer peers… if you were 2 steps up from entry level pay you become equal to them very quickly.. the lower levels on some groups see an $8 pay bump over the contract but mid/upper tiers will see $5-6..

 

[Lilofan]

even if you don't join the union it is still a union job/role. since the pandemic a lot of CMs have left the union for various reasons, but mostly due to feeling that the union has let them down. The unions represent about 40,000 CMs out of about 70,000. I do not know what % of the 40,000 actually are paying dues. nonunion jobs are mostly supervisors, call center and office jobs. https://www.uniteherelocal362.org/stcu-directory/

I'm referring to as example attractions cast. % of union and non union cast on the team. I'm not referring to call center office jobs etc which are non union.

 

[Lilofan]

My frustration is that loyalty/longevity means you end up with less than your newer peers… if you were 2 steps up from entry level pay you become equal to them very quickly.. the lower levels on some groups see an $8 pay bump over the contract but mid/upper tiers will see $5-6..

If you want to earn more apply for promotional opportunities or look for depts that earn more.

 

[tallica]

I'm referring to as example attractions cast. % of union and non union cast on the team. I'm not referring to call center office jobs etc which are non union.

100% union jobs

 

[WDWFanRay]

$3 an hour raise one week, 7000 job cuts the next week, just like the debit/credit sides of a spreadsheet. Plus on one side, minus on the other.

 

[Lilofan]

100% union jobs

You don't understand. There is no obligation to join the union. I'm wondering how many in the union and how many are not for example in food and beverage teams at MK percentage wise.

 

[cranbiz]

You don't understand. There is no obligation to join the union. I'm wondering how many in the union and how many are not for example in food and beverage teams at MK percentage wise.

Correct, there is no requirement to join the union. However, unless something changed since I was a CM, don't start banking the unpaid union dues. You have to pay an agency fee which, coincidentally, equals the union dues.

It was this way when I was a CM, it was also this way when I worked for a MA State Authority many years ago.