Another false statement. Our family enjoys interacting with the cast when we visit. Since you feel strongly take it up with your union and good luck with your new contract once all is finalized.
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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
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peter11435
Well-Known Member
I made no false statements. I’m sure you do enjoy interacting them. But you obviously do not care about their well-being or their humanity outside of their ability to entertain you and facilitate your vacation.
It’s not my contract or my union. I know many cast members. I do not work for Disney.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
maybe it’s because some of us personally know cast members that have been with the company for decades and have tried to move up but didn’t for reasons OTHER than talent, or want, - for the simple reason that when imagineering is looking for people, they are only looking for a few and many apply.
So to hear someone type “it’s their fault” that they are still in low-income housing while working full time for wdw for decades is a bit personal.
Sure I can understand. I was once in their shoes at my employer back in the day including in debt. I decided to do something about it. Good luck to the CMs in getting a good contract once finalized. Just like wages go up prices and COL will certainly go up also .
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Lol
You say you can understand, but you have time and time again proven you don’t even understand this discussion. Or you are deliberately ignoring the facts.
If they then refuse to broaden their horizon and look for work at other companies then it is still a little bit their fault. Disney is not the only employer, I get wanting to work for a company you love but, reality is most of us don’t. Finding a place you dont hate, and working conditions that are fair is usually the norm. The average working American changes employers 3-5 times during their career.
Then how to propose the cast to get what they want in terms of their idea of higher pay ? You seem to paint a bleak picture of the cast but then again no one knows the whole story why an individual is in that situation and what can they do about it to get out of it and improve upon it.
I’ve heard that story too, so and so at a dead end job in their opinion , wanting to be an imagineer .
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
And what happens when those people move on and there isn’t really anyone left?
Then they are either filled by people aging into jobs or market forces cause Disney to be more competitive.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Disney’s work force is not and can not be made up entirely of 16-18 year olds.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
So why is being so short staffed that venues are unable to open not a market force that should drive Disney to be more competitive?
No, but entry level employees should be mostly teens, CP, or retirees if their pay is less then a living wage.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Not all of these roles in question would qualify as “entry level.”
Teens and CPs are great but I assure you that your Disney vacation benefits greatly from the skills and experience that teens and CP’s do not and can not possess. Teens can’t even work many roles such as attractions.
And the key word in your second sentence is “if.” There is no reason Disney has to pay less than a living wage. And considering their extreme staffing challenges and quality issues… there is no reason they should be.
Why aren’t they getting paid more then? Again market 101. Corporations are soulless and exist only to increase shareholder value. It is in their best interest to pay as little for their employees as they can. Throw away understaffing, that’s on customers for continuing to tolerate that, but why is it that so many employees tolerate a wage that does not support them? Unemployment is at record lows, there quite simply is a better paying job available and if enough people left Disney would raise the wages, but that’s not happening. Why exactly is that and whose fault is that?
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Because you’re wrong. There quite simply is not a better paying job available for all of these people.
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Unemployment Rate in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL (MSA)
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I beg to differ.
RobWDW1971
Well-Known Member
The market pays for skills and talent.
If you are not being compensated at the level you desire either develop more marketable skills or find an employer that recognizes your skills and will pay you accordingly.
If you believe you are underpaid/valued, simply put your skills on the market. If there are not employers willing to pay more for your skills, you are being paid appropriately. If they will, then your problem is solved.
If you have been waking up Jose for 25 years or selling popcorn on Main Street, the market does not value those skills more than entry level pay.
There are those who understand this basic market concept and then there are those that complain about their pay, position, or contract.
If you are not being compensated at the level you desire either develop more marketable skills or find an employer that recognizes your skills and will pay you accordingly.
If you believe you are underpaid/valued, simply put your skills on the market. If there are not employers willing to pay more for your skills, you are being paid appropriately. If they will, then your problem is solved.
If you have been waking up Jose for 25 years or selling popcorn on Main Street, the market does not value those skills more than entry level pay.
There are those who understand this basic market concept and then there are those that complain about their pay, position, or contract.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
Which leads to the question… if there aren’t better paying jobs available in the market what’s the motivation for Disney to pay more?
(Other than altruism)
I’ve looked at a few fields in Orlando and Disney is already competitive, they pay as much or more than restaurants, call centers, warehouses, hotels, etc that are competing for the same employees. At the $20 a hour they are offering ($42k) they pay nearly as much as starting pay for police ($51k), teachers ($50k), and other professions that require significantly more training and /or risk.
If the union gets their way, and Disney ends up paying something like $25 an hour (a living wage), who in their right mind would become a cop or a teacher when they could make the same selling churros? They won’t, which means those position now have to raise their wages to attract applicants, which means more inflation, which means increased costs on everything… and the newly acquired $25 isn’t a living wage anymore.
It’s an endless cycle, those working lower skill jobs will always struggle to pay the bills because they will always be the lowest paid jobs, as they make more so does everyone else (although usually a lower increase), the push for $15 seemed like a life changing increase just a couple years ago, ends up it has had little to no effect because prices increased everywhere along with it.
What’s truly scary in this scenario is fixed incomes, if you are retired this inflation is going to devalue your savings, guess that’s a positive for Disney because it means more formerly retired people will look to Disney for a job because they will need one.
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peter11435
Well-Known Member
The union is not asking for $25. The union is asking for an increase to $20 over the next three years.
And you are correct. That is a huge reason they don’t see a need to increase pay. They know these people can’t go elsewhere and make more.