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

[eliza61nyc]

As someone who’s approaching retirement age my biggest worry is inflation, I make good money and have saved for retirement for the last 20 years… despite that my comfortable retirement isn’t looking so comfortable anymore. Housing prices, inflation, and homelessness are out of control in this country and our “solutions” are just making all of them worse. Just throw money at all of them, ignore the actual housing crisis, the zoning issues, the permitting issues, the insurance issues, etc and then act surprised when the solutions just raise prices and create new problems.

I’d like to retire in Florida and am shocked every time I look at houses online, I make close to 6 figures and if I didn’t already own a home with several hundred thousand in equity I’d never be able to afford a home in Florida. The same is true of Utah, Colorado, Montana, and several other states I’ve looked at retiring in.

With prices what they are minimum wage being $15, $20, or $25 is largely irrelevant because none of those buys a $500k+ home or the $2500+ rent that comes with those price points.

We need millions of townhomes, duplexes, and fourplexes… not another dollar an hour that will just increase prices more. That requires zoning changes though and so far no states seem willing to make that simple change that would actually address the problem.

Girrrrl, as luck would have it, I did retire just before crazy inflation and massive drops in my portfolio. You know I'm stressed. My family is still on the east coast so I probably won't relocate for a few years so I'm stuck in high as crap northeast

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Cool, quick question so lets everyone gets 19.22 and in 3 years if they now need 25 to have the same buying power do they automatically get that increase??

Easy… annually adjust the starting wage equal to the % raise that the ceo and other top execs get!

On a more serious note… minnimum wage used to be .25 - should it have never gone up? Naturally the minnimum wage would continue to rise as times change.

 

[Lilofan]

Girrrrl, as luck would have it, I did retire just before crazy inflation and massive drops in my portfolio. You know I'm stressed. My family is still on the east coast so I probably won't relocate for a few years so I'm stuck in high as crap northeast

But at least the food is better

 

[Lilofan]

Are the people opposed to wage hikes actually looking at housing though?

I'm all for housing to stop being a revenue source. It's harder to find housing because people are competing with people buying second or third homes to generate rental income.

But are these not the same people who can afford to invest money in businesses like Disney? The people who want to make more and more money from their Disney stock even if cast members can't afford food are surely not going to be in favour of changing the housing market in that manner?

To stop housing as a revenue source will never happen. Especially in FL, real agents welcome anyone’s money including many foreign investors etc.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

To stop housing as a revenue source will never happen. Especially in FL, real agents welcome anyone’s money including many foreign investors etc.

Housing is also a huge revenue generator for the government, permitting alone adds tens of thousands to the cost of a house, high home prices also means higher property taxes, and the higher wages to ”fix” those problems result in higher payroll and income taxes. The government loves higher prices because it means more revenue.

There’s a reason no states (libs or cons) take the easy steps to fix problems, they all benefit from those problems.

 

[lazyboy97o]

We have advocated for a better system, but that system has to start with housing (the actual problem), not wages.

Raising wages does nothing to solve the rent problem because there’s a shortage and as demand goes up so does rent. Next year wages will need to go up again, which will raise rent again, so the year after wages will need to go up again, which will raise rent again.

Raising wages to fix a housing shortage is like a dog chasing his own tail.

The result is never ending inflation so everyone (who isn’t getting the minimum wage increases every year) is getting poorer every year.

The problem is that as important as housing is, it too isn’t the only issue. You’re just advocating for not doing anything because it won’t all be solved at once.

Are the people opposed to wage hikes actually looking at housing though?

I'm all for housing to stop being a revenue source. It's harder to find housing because people are competing with people buying second or third homes to generate rental income.

But are these not the same people who can afford to invest money in businesses like Disney? The people who want to make more and more money from their Disney stock even if cast members can't afford food are surely not going to be in favour of changing the housing market in that manner?

It’s not just people buying investment properties. For most homeowners their house is their single greatest source of wealth. They don’t want there to be more housing either because it could cut into their net worth.

We use to have a great system where people said "What do I have to do to get ahead".
Now we have a system that says "hey I'm here, you owe me the life I deserve "

What you ignore is how much purchasing power has weakened. What you had to do to get ahead is no longer sufficient to do what you did.

Who said that? First of all, very few CM’s “just show” - the vast majority of them are extremely hard working and genuinely great at their jobs. I think we all agree on that right? That’s why we like Disney!

That’s why it’s shocking when I run into rude or grumpy CM’s, it’s so outside of the norm that it’s extra noticeable. They do a great job. They show up, work hard, and provide good service.

But I mean… yes if you show up and do your job you should be fairly paid for your time. That seems like such a basic concept. I don’t understand why we don’t want everyone to be fairly compensated.

“But what is fair!!??” - I know that’s the question and that’s subjective. To me… a full time job should pay at least $40k. That’s $19.22 an hour.

Being a Cast Member is also just more involved than similar jobs elsewhere. Target pays $15/hour. What’s the motivation to drive past a Target and other places that pay the same to go work at Walt Disney World for that rate? Why deal with less convenient parking for the same rate? Why deal with a stricter, more involved uniform for the same rate? Why deal with less flexible scheduling for the same rate? People keep talking about the market and doing the work so long as it’s not Disney who has to do the work to better attract talent.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Easy… annually adjust the starting wage equal to the % raise that the ceo and other top execs get!

On a more serious note… minnimum wage used to be .25 - should it have never gone up? Naturally the minnimum wage would continue to rise as times change.

Lol, I'd get a job at Disney if that was the case.

But that's why it hasn't worked and still won't work, because everyone else will also see their wages go up and the cost of housing will also rise, the cost of food medicine, goods will all outstrip the salary.. Net effect is zero, its still the lowest paying job and they're still in poverty. The object should be to get out of minimum wage job. No matter what you raise the salary too, it's still going to be insufficient.
We saw this 3 years ago, they got the 15/hr that was supposed to help. Don't you remember all the McDonald's workers protesting??? Now 3 short years later, they're in the same exact predicament. The POSITION will always be the poorest paying position to break out of that cycle you've got to get out of that position.

And I can't even imagine what you do if you throw kids into the mix

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Lol, I'd get a job at Disney if that was the case.

But that's why it hasn't worked and still won't work, because everyone else will also see their wages go up and the cost of housing will also rise, the cost of food medicine, goods will all outstrip the salary.. Net effect is zero, its still the lowest paying job and they're still in poverty. The object should be to get out of minimum wage job. No matter what you raise the salary too, it's still going to be insufficient.
We saw this 3 years ago, they got the 15/hr that was supposed to help. Don't you remember all the McDonald's workers protesting??? Now 3 short years later, they're in the same exact predicament. The POSITION will always be the poorest paying position to break out of that cycle you've got to get out of that position.

So the answer is…. Teach everyone to be smart enough not to work at Disney World cause it’s always going to be the poorest paying job?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Lol, I'd get a job at Disney if that was the case.

But that's why it hasn't worked and still won't work, because everyone else will also see their wages go up and the cost of housing will also rise, the cost of food medicine, goods will all outstrip the salary.. Net effect is zero, its still the lowest paying job and they're still in poverty. The object should be to get out of minimum wage job. No matter what you raise the salary too, it's still going to be insufficient.
We saw this 3 years ago, they got the 15/hr that was supposed to help. Don't you remember all the McDonald's workers protesting??? Now 3 short years later, they're in the same exact predicament. The POSITION will always be the poorest paying position to break out of that cycle you've got to get out of that position.

How is it that this must be if it was not always that way? What you pay right now at Walt Disney World is more than sufficient to pay the Cast Members you interact with more. The money is already be paid to someone, you just don’t want to go to certain people.

 

[el_super]

Why deal with less convenient parking for the same rate? Why deal with a stricter, more involved uniform for the same rate? Why deal with less flexible scheduling for the same rate? People keep talking about the market and doing the work so long as it’s not Disney who has to do the work to better attract talent.

So there are negative impacts to employment at Disney World that should drive wages up, but aren't there positive impacts to working at Disney World that would drive wages down? Free entry and access to get friends and family inside the parks. Discount on park merchandise and food and hotel rates. Travel and entertainment discounts all over the world. If Disney as an employer is in high demand, that means wages should be lower right?

Or does it just cancel out at the end?

 

[Lilofan]

The problem is that as important as housing is, it too isn’t the only issue. You’re just advocating for not doing anything because it won’t all be solved at once.


It’s not just people buying investment properties. For most homeowners their house is their single greatest source of wealth. They don’t want there to be more housing either because it could cut into their net worth.

What you ignore is how much purchasing power has weakened. What you had to do to get ahead is no longer sufficient to do what you did.

Being a Cast Member is also just more involved than similar jobs elsewhere. Target pays $15/hour. What’s the motivation to drive past a Target and other places that pay the same to go work at Walt Disney World for that rate? Why deal with less convenient parking for the same rate? Why deal with a stricter, more involved uniform for the same rate? Why deal with less flexible scheduling for the same rate? People keep talking about the market and doing the work so long as it’s not Disney who has to do the work to better attract talent.

Motivation to work at WDW that employs more than 50K CMs may have more lateral and promotional opportunities than your local Target that may have less than 100 employees.

 

[Touchdown]

So the answer is…. Teach everyone to be smart enough not to work at Disney World cause it’s always going to be the poorest paying job?

No that working low level jobs at WDW is not a career, it is a job for young people while they build up their resume and then either move up or out to better paying jobs or retirees that want a second job to keep busy. No one should be a ride op for 40 years, if you’re not promoted into a better paid position, you should take your skills elsewhere.

 

[Lilofan]

No that working low level jobs at WDW is not a career, it is a job for young people while they build up their resume and then either move up or out to better paying jobs or retirees that want a second job to keep busy. No one should be a ride op for 40 years, if you’re not promoted into a better paid position, you should take your skills elsewhere.

Knew a secretary that did the same role in a small company for 45 years then retired. She without telling her husband invested part of her paycheck in the stock market monthly . When she surprised her husband on their 65th birthday her net worth was $8M.

 

[Touchdown]

Knew a secretary that did the same role in a small company for 45 years then retired. She without telling her husband invested part of her paycheck in the stock market monthly . When she surprised her husband on their 65th birthday her net worth was $8M.

Secretaries with 45+ years of experience should be making far more than minimum wage. Bit different. She’s also an exception, good for her.

 

[eliza61nyc]

So the answer is…. Teach everyone to be smart enough not to work at Disney World cause it’s always going to be the poorest paying job?

It's not really about "Disney ", in itself. There was a time when entry level jobs were just that, entry level. They were usually held by young adults and teenagers . Every kid got a fast food job while working towards something else. Young adults waitresses, worked retail etc while realizing that these were not careers you could raise a family on, you never could buy a house on a gas station attendance job so they all really were jobs you had until you found something better.
As I said, my brother was a McDonald's/operator, he told his workers all the time, "if you are here more than 6 years something is wrong"

I know 2 ladies who's kids went through the college program at wdw, both understood implicitly that again this was a college program.
It's the same reason why we tell kids not to go to college and get a basket weaving degree.

So I would say be truthful and realistic if you work at minnimum wage job, not just at Disney, at my old company Dow, Dupont, a a retail giant Walmart, Macy's, at a fast food chain. Anywhere and you stay there 10, 14 ,20 years. It's going to be a financial struggle.
Why is being truthful such a foreign concept

My youngest son loves live music, he goes all over the country going to indie music fest, rap concerts etc. So yes we straight up told him, no you can't pump gas forever get an apartment, have a wife and kids and travel on 12/hr. He didn't demand that wawa pay him a living wage , in Philly are you serious?? He went to Temple, finished and got a better position!! Was it easy?? He'll no, was it better than expecting wawa to pay him a living wage?? Absolutely

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Secretaries with 45+ years of experience should be making far more than minimum wage. Bit different. She’s also an exception, good for her.

Why? It’s typing and answering phones. A teenager can do it.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

No that working low level jobs at WDW is not a career, it is a job for young people while they build up their resume and then either move up or out to better paying jobs or retirees that want a second job to keep busy. No one should be a ride op for 40 years, if you’re not promoted into a better paid position, you should take your skills elsewhere.

I mean that’s all a theory of “how it should work” - there is no sound reasoning for that and frankly it doesn’t work in 2022.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

The problem is that as important as housing is, it too isn’t the only issue. You’re just advocating for not doing anything because it won’t all be solved at once.

And you’re advocating for doing something that will have marginal positive benefits for some but also negative consequences for many.

“We have to do something” is often the source of even bigger problems.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

And you’re advocating for doing something that will have marginal positive benefits for some but also negative consequences for many.

What are the negative consequences for many and who are the many?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

What are the negative consequences for many and who are the many?

In most circumstances those hurt the most are the retired, the disabled, and those who are already living on a fixed income.

As I said earlier… the raise is great for the formerly homeless CM who now makes enough he can afford apt 1a (even with its newly adjusted higher rent), but the problem is 1a used to be someone else’s home and that person who can no longer afford apt 1a is now homeless. You didn’t solve a problem you just changed who’s homeless.

If the goal is to put a senior on the streets so a CM has a place to live then raising minimum wage is a successful strategy, if the goal is to make housing more affordable though it‘s a failed strategy.

The other consequence is those living in 1b, 1c, etc who were middle class and already made more than minimum wage are now making the same salary but are now paying higher rent due to increased demand. They didn’t become homeless but they now have less disposable income.

Some benefit, others suffer.