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

[the_rich]

About half that actually, about $12 according to inflation calculators and news articles.

Wages Vs. Inflation: Can Your Income Keep Up With Rising Prices?

Inflation has been the talk of the town recently with the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) recently hitting a 40-year high of 9.1%. However, for financially squeezed families, rising prices are only one half the story. As the cost of everything from fuel to food increases, the value of the dolla

www.forbes.com

The $3.80 minimum wage I made in the 80s has the same purchasing power as $10 an hour now.

I know people like to think we had it easy in the “good ol days” but we faced the exact same struggles as today. That’s not to say it should continue that way but there’s a huge difference between barely surviving and a comfortable lifestyle with no stress.

I did see a couple articles that said minimum wage adjusted for “productivity” should be $20+ though so I see how you mistakenly got that number. That’s a totally different thing than adjusted for inflation though.

I'm not saying they need no stress and should be on easy street. But they should be able to live without the constant worry of the other shoe dropping. My father was able to buy a house and raise 2 kids with a sahm as a dairy manager in a supermarket. That's literally impossible to do today in my area and I'd say probably in any city. And we didn't struggle, we went out to eat, vacations etc.

 

[the_rich]

Idk… high COL areas aren’t really doable for low wage workers to live alone. There has definitely been a cultural shift towards having a single income and expecting to live in the nice areas with a one bedroom apartment. Dual income houses are able to offset a lot of costs by sharing rent.

I spent the last 15years with multiple roommates living in Chicago making less than these Disney employees. I never had to worry about food or rent because…. I wasn’t an idiot trying to live alone in Chicago.

I agree they probably need a raise, but is the standard really set to a single person living alone in the perfect neighborhood? No sacrifices for an unskilled job? Come on

Younger employees have had the luxury of not having an economic collapse. Their parents suffered through the recession while they were in the protective bubble of college/high school. When they lose their jobs the next economic downturn and can’t find anything, let’s see how that picky mentality works out for them.

That being said, if Disney can’t hire people to fill needed unskilled positions, then something is off about pay/benefits that they need to address.

Doesn't have to be in a perfect neighborhood, but yes a minimum wage job imo should at least afford someone the "luxury" of a studio apartment without a roommate.

 

[Andrew C]

internet (I know a splurge) a cell phone (I know another splurge),

Don't get the 1000 upload and download speed. Don't get the latest iphone. Don't get all the streaming services. Don't spend a bunch of money on the latest Disney merch. Eat out less.

If a single person living in Florida making $35,000 a year is unable to manage their expenses without breaking the bank, I look to that person to fix it...rather than the company who pays them $35,000.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I'm not saying they need no stress and should be on easy street. But they should be able to live without the constant worry of the other shoe dropping. My father was able to buy a house and raise 2 kids with a sahm as a dairy manager in a supermarket. That's literally impossible to do today in my area and I'd say probably in any city. And we didn't struggle, we went out to eat, vacations etc.

And we were latchkey kids because my dad worked 2 jobs and my mom worked full time just to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table… experiences vary, just because your family survived on one income back in the day doesn’t make that the norm.

I’d wager your father made a substantial amount over minimum wage as a manager at a supermarket.

Sounds like you came from a middle class family so that’s your reality, meanwhile I came from a fairly poor family that had a lot of struggles so that’s my reality. The idea that we had it easy back then annoys the hell out of me though because it couldn’t be further from the truth. That wasn’t my parents reality or my reality.

Not saying it should be hard for everyone because we had it hard, but the idea it should be easy because we had it easy is a fallacy that needs to stop, it’s flat out wrong.

 

[the_rich]

And we were latchkey kids because my dad worked 2 jobs and my mom worked full time just to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table… experiences vary, just because your family survived on one income back in the day doesn’t make that the norm.

I’d wager your father made a substantial amount over minimum wage as a manager at a supermarket.

He managed one department. What I'm saying is that same job today cannot accomplish the same thing. Our house in 1984 was $220k, today it is 6 times that. Cost of living has skyrocketed and wages haven't kept up.

 

[the_rich]

And we were latchkey kids because my dad worked 2 jobs and my mom worked full time just to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table… experiences vary, just because your family survived on one income back in the day doesn’t make that the norm.

I’d wager your father made a substantial amount over minimum wage as a manager at a supermarket.

Sounds like you came from a middle class family so that’s your reality, meanwhile I came from a fairly poor family that had a lot of struggles so that’s my reality. The idea that we had it easy back then annoys the hell out of me though because it couldn’t be further from the truth. That wasn’t my parents reality or my reality.

I'm not saying everyone had it easy. But the middle class in this country has all but disappeared. Your parents I'm sure worked hard and still struggled. 3 jobs and struggling, that shouldn't be in this country when companies are making billions in profits every year.

 

[flynnibus]

A full time job should allow you to live without worrying about making ends meet

The difference is you expect 'any' full time job to get you that... where you are demanding the employer you decided to work with as oweing that to you.

Prior generations said "I need to find -a- job that will do that" not expect any and every job to do that.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Don't get the 1000 upload and download speed. Don't get the latest iphone. Don't get all the streaming services. Don't spend a bunch of money on the latest Disney merch. Eat out less.

If a single person living in Florida making $35,000 a year is unable to manage their expenses without breaking the bank, I look to that person to fix it...rather than the company who pays them $35,000.

Problem solved! Cast members are being paid enough, It's all the cast member's fault, see above.

Cast members, GET BACK TO WORK! My popcorn is cold, and I demand fresh, hot popcorn and make it snappy!

 

[Andrew C]

Cast members, GET BACK TO WORK! My popcorn is cold, and I demand fresh, hot popcorn and make it snappy!

Yes, if you get paid $15, $16, $17 an hour to make popcorn (whether at WDW or Uni), I do demand it be fresh, hot and snappy...

 

[JD80]

Amazed at some people's lack of awareness in this thread.

WDW shouldn't be run with majority Frontline employees that make minimum or close to minimum wage. It's a luxury resort that is demanding a luxury price. I think Disney can do better.

 

[JD80]

Yes, if you get paid $15, $16, $17 an hour to make popcorn (whether at WDW or Uni), I do demand it be fresh, hot and snappy...

Maybe you can get some child labor laws rescinded in florida.

 

[Andrew C]

WDW shouldn't be run with majority Frontline employees that make minimum or close to minimum wage

It isn't.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Amazed at some people's lack of awareness in this thread.

WDW shouldn't be run with majority Frontline employees that make minimum or close to minimum wage. It's a luxury resort that is demanding a luxury price. I think Disney can do better.

What further baffles me is that everyone is blaming the CMs and saying that if they don’t want to live on that wage they should look for something else and stop blaming the company.

This is where the “no one wants to work” mentality came from post Pandemic. A lot of people who had been told to get a “real job” have left the service industry and they have been severely understaffed since.

Without the CMs there is no way for any of us to go enjoy the parks. Disney needs to raise the wages and they should’ve done it five years ago

 

[Andrew C]

Maybe you can get some child labor laws rescinded in florida.

Maybe. High school kids job opportunities to gain experience becomes more limited when stupid wage demands for unskilled work become more and more common.

 

[lightningtap347]

The idea one should just have one job to pay bills is nice to say but when in my earlier years I worked 6-7 days a week full time and part time job to pay down debt and speed up paying mortgage. Missed out on some fun but I knew I'd be in a better situation in the long run.

Your student loans were like $20/semester and you could afford a home. My grandfather could afford a home screwing on friggin' toothpaste tubes.

I'm so tired of these ice cold takes from dinosaurs who have "got theirs" and have no experience being a recent grad entering the workforce. Society is an absolute scam for people who don't have rich parents or have already attained even moderate wealth, and hearing people who are actively pull up the ladder while speaking of hardships which have no basis in current reality is migraine inducing.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Why should the free market only work to keep wages where employers want them? If market and social forces mean a significantly large number of employees feel they can demand higher wages and better conditions, that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with the employees or the system. That’s the way the market is meant to work. It’s exactly as legitimate as an environment in which various factors ensure that employers can get the workers they need for whatever they want to pay. No one is entitled to anyone else’s labor. It’s very worthwhile to ask why it’s considered a crisis that workers are able to exert some leverage.

 

[Andrew C]

Disney needs to raise the wages and they should’ve done it five years ago

Disney made an increase offer. The union rejected the offer. They will hopefully come to some sort of compromise...that is the process. Disney is willing to pay more, they just need to reach an agreement that both parties will sign off on.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

What further baffles me is that everyone is blaming the CMs and saying that if they don’t want to live on that wage they should look for something else and stop blaming the company.

This is where the “no one wants to work” mentality came from post Pandemic. A lot of people who had been told to get a “real job” have left the service industry and they have been severely understaffed since.

Without the CMs there is no way for any of us to go enjoy the parks. Disney needs to raise the wages and they should’ve done it five years ago

Bingo.

It's always some who are telling people to get a better job if they're unhappy with their wages, and then being shocked when they see the impact of those basic service level positions going unfilled.

 

[Lilofan]

Disney made an increase offer. The union rejected the offer. They will hopefully come to some sort of compromise...that is the process. Disney is willing to pay more, they just need to reach an agreement that both parties will sign off on.

Both parties will always come to a compromise during contract times, the cast will approve the contract , rinse and repeat.

 

[the_rich]

The difference is you expect 'any' full time job to get you that... where you are demanding the employer you decided to work with as oweing that to you.

Prior generations said "I need to find -a- job that will do that" not expect any and every job to do that.

Yes I do.