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

[flynnibus]

That’s exactly why Disney can’t hire enough people to fully staff the parks. We are leaving for better gigs and better places to live.

Eventually if enough employees actually carry through - then the supply will dictate an employer pay more, and adjust their prices accordingly. That's natural progress. Not people sitting at home pouting over their opportunities and saying what are you doing for them. If people were actually doing what you said.. why do they care what Disney pays at all? Screw 'em, move on.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If people were actually doing what you said.. why do they care what Disney pays at all? Screw 'em, move on.

Well… I care because I enjoy visiting the parks and I enjoy them more when they are fully staffed!

Do you visit the parks regularly?

 

[Lilofan]

It is not the majority of living situations. You will do well to know this. You would be speaking about the single person living units that make up than less than 0.6 percent. They exist for those who want it. https://questionjapan.com/blog/average-apartment-size-in-tokyo/

It is not close to the average.

How much living space do you think a CM renting an old hotel unit or sharing a three bedroom apartment gets to themselves? Its irrelevant. Space is a luxury. Having a place is different.

People working for OLC can better afford their own place with the cost of living.

Something the domestic parks CMs at the starting roles can majority not do.

Interesting Japan landlords according to article require tenants to earn 3x the monthly rental costs. If that was enforced in Orlando than there would be a number of homeless.

 

[flynnibus]

Well… I care because I enjoy visiting the parks and I enjoy them more when they are fully staffed!

Do you visit the parks regularly?

Necessity drives behavior. This is seen in the roles like housekeeping and other roles where they adapted their hiring to try to fill. The longer they struggle, they more likely they are to adapt their behavior. Otherwise, they will continue their decline and people will be less inclined to go.

Like me.. I have no interest in going right now because I don't like the product they are offering. I hold no emotional commitment to goto Disney if I don't think it's going to give me the enjoyment I seek. I'll probably end up in DLR again before another long WDW trip... or another DCL cruise like the one I just got back from last month.

This is what speaking with your feet looks like.

 

[celluloid]

Interesting Japan landlords according to article require tenants to earn 3x the monthly rental costs. If that was enforced in Orlando than there would be a number of homeless.

Man, you really are out of the loop. That IS a common rental situation in Orlando.



Just stop.

 

[el_super]

They are paid less hourly when directly converted, but the cost of living in the prefecture areas are more affordable than Orlando cost of Living, at worst it is likely comparable, but the article I saw stated how the apartment rent tended to be around 500-600 a month. I will try and find the article.

I'd be curious to see the cost of living breakdown.

You can find the posted TDL cast wages here:

https://www.castingline.net/disney_recruit/wages/

1,100 JPY/hour is pretty close to the minimum wage for the area (980 JPY/hour).

To be fair though, I don't know if the posted wages there are reflecting the new wages that go into effect in April or not. I'd imagine they are having the same issues with inflation that has impacted most economies. So a 7% raise may still end up resulting in less actual buying power.

 

[celluloid]

I'd be curious to see the cost of living breakdown.

You can find the posted TDL cast wages here:

https://www.castingline.net/disney_recruit/wages/

1,100 JPY/hour is pretty close to the minimum wage for the area (980 JPY/hour).

To be fair though, I don't know if the posted wages there are reflecting the new wages that go into effect in April or not. I'd imagine they are having the same issues with inflation that has impacted most economies. So a 7% raise may still end up resulting in less actual buying power.

Transportation is a huge cost of living expense. While Japan groceries are not going to be a ton cheaper, they often are for meals. A lot of it like anywhere is choice.

However, you are going to walk and train most places that are needed as well as to and from work for very cheap a month. Unless you are travelling a lot, it is cheaper than vehicle ownership, gas an insurance. Culturally different no doubt, but cheaper.

 

[Lilofan]

Man, you really are out of the loop. That IS a common rental situation in Orlando.

And there are.

Just stop.

Really? Family of mine that rent in Orlando are not required to prove they earn 3x more than monthly posted rent. Try again.

 

[celluloid]

Really? Family of mine that rent in Orlando are not required to prove they earn 3x more than monthly posted rent. Try again.

Anecdotal? Again? It is funny how you always have a family or friend that you have current details on. It is like you knowing the chinese acrobat's ages. Yes, this is a requirement for most apartments. I don't need to try. I lived it. I can bring up apartment companies. Search McKinley Apartments, Orlando. When you apply you have to prove you make more than 2 and a half times the rent, or combined with your roomates will be more than that. People are not just getting roommates for the fun.

I have to just call bullcrap at this point. So you just talk to your friend who rents if they had to prove their income to rent their place? Your anecdotes are getting more preposterous. You don't even know whether your lie is saying "a friend of mine" or "a family member" of mine anymore, and you seem to just be flubbing your own lies up at this point.

What a joke.

 

[Lilofan]

Anecdotal? Again? It is funny how you always have a family or friend that you have current details on. It is like you knowing the chinese acrobat's ages. Yes, this is a requirement for most apartments. I don't need to try. I lived it. I can bring up apartment companies. Search McKinley Apartments, Orlando. When you apply you have to prove you make more than 2 and a half times the rent, or combined with your roomates will be more than that. People are not just getting roommates for the fun.

I have to just call bullcrap at this point. So you just talk to your friend who rents if they had to prove their income to rent their place? Your anecdotes are getting more preposterous.

What a joke.

You are in denial when presented with examples . Have a nice day.

 

[celluloid]

You are in denial when presented with examples . Have a nice day.

My posts were the only one with verified and valid examples. I am having a great day, because I am honest. Say hello to your chinese acrobat friends and family that rent in Orlando next time you are in town.

 

[Lilofan]

My posts were the only one with verified and valid examples. I am having a great day, because I am honest.

Can't help you with your issues.

 

[celluloid]

Can't help you with your issues.

Nope. You can't. Maybe you have a friend that could!

 

[Lilofan]

Nope. You can't. Maybe you have a friend that could!

Yea, sure, just like your supposed side gig alongside your entry level wage to buy a home..

 

[celluloid]

Yea, sure, just like your supposed side gig alongside your entry level wage to buy a home..

Who said that? I had a side gig to rent a home while I worked for Universal, which was teaching English on VIPKID.com Terribly unreliable and when the internet was bad I actually could lose money. Freelance language teaching. I don't care if you believe it or not. I also said I was not making Entry Level Wage at that point I had two years of raises and picking up coordinator roles. You are just all sorts of wrong.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Except that Disney is the more desirable place for many to want to work. The access to the parks and the discounts are more desirable to many than the same thing at Universal. They will pay what they have to. When enough people quit and go to Universal, they will adjust.

This is definitely an advantage Disney has over many competing employers, I worked a couple summers as a ride operator at an amusement park while in college and it’s still the most fun I’ve ever had working.

I only lasted 2 summers before moving on to call centers for better pay though, it was one of the worst jobs I’ve had but it paid almost double what the park did so I suffered through it.

Pay is often relative to how fun/miserable a job is, this already happens at Disney, less appealing jobs like housekeepers are already making much more than the more fun jobs like ride operators.

 

[flynnibus]

This is definitely an advantage Disney has over many competing employers, I worked a couple summers at an amusement park while in college and it’s still the most fun I’ve ever had working.

If I'm the person struggling to make ends meet or feel my life is hindered by my limited income... I would hope people would put 'free admission to a place designed to suck money out of people' lower on the priority scale vs making a change that would break the pattern I'm in.

I mean.. if I'm the CM with a family... am I going to goto the park for free and ignore my family?

If I'm struggling with moving up in the world.. how much disposable income should I really be spending on a theme park every month?

 

[pdude81]

We fight back and forth about who deserves what, and whether these jobs are meant to support a human being if they work full time. Meanwhile as we transition to a service economy and offload any job we can to cheaper labor elsewhere, the jobs that are available can't support the people who we need to work them. I keep seeing people mentioning these as entry level jobs, but as the share of goods as part of the GDP declines year over year, these are the only jobs left. There are certainly still some well-paying service jobs, but everybody can't be a nurse or database analyst. There are only so many of those positions to fill.

And what's left is under pressure from software, AI, and robots who don't take sick days or family leave. Thankfully for them, Disney cast members are still needed in person to do these jobs. Disney has tried to replace people with self checkout and photo boxes, but this hasn't become widespread because the experience is still terrible. We tolerate it at the food store because your other option is to starve. IMO the cast should fight for whatever they can get

 

[flynnibus]

I keep seeing people mentioning these as entry level jobs, but as the share of goods as part of the GDP declines year over year, these are the only jobs left. There are certainly still some well-paying service jobs, but everybody can't be a nurse or database analyst. There are only so many of those positions to fill

Then pick the best service industry job and pursue that. Why continue to chase a job at an employer that pays poorly and has extreme expectations of you vs other jobs that pay better and give you a better quality of life?

I don't buy the 'these are the only jobs left' argument at all. These people weren't working factory jobs and got forced into WDW front-line positions... come on.

It's time for people to recognize Disney isn't the pinnacle of 'where to work' and stop treating it as such.

 

[Lilofan]

We fight back and forth about who deserves what, and whether these jobs are meant to support a human being if they work full time. Meanwhile as we transition to a service economy and offload any job we can to cheaper labor elsewhere, the jobs that are available can't support the people who we need to work them. I keep seeing people mentioning these as entry level jobs, but as the share of goods as part of the GDP declines year over year, these are the only jobs left. There are certainly still some well-paying service jobs, but everybody can't be a nurse or database analyst. There are only so many of those positions to fill.

And what's left is under pressure from software, AI, and robots who don't take sick days or family leave. Thankfully for them, Disney cast members are still needed in person to do these jobs. Disney has tried to replace people with self checkout and photo boxes, but this hasn't become widespread because the experience is still terrible. We tolerate it at the food store because your other option is to starve. IMO the cast should fight for whatever they can get

Cast have got theIr unions to fight for them but unfortunately if any strike while contract is still valid then they will lose their jobs. Negotiations ongoing both parties will come to compromise and contract will be approved. Rinse and repeat every few years. In regards to cheaper labor back in the day cast cleaned the resorts overnight. Take a good look when you stay at the resorts like we had. The overnight team cleaning the common areas and food court areas are third party. Cast taking a hard line in wanting more money per hour is understandable but they will eventually accept what is presented to them post negotiations . Bet on it. Approx 20 years ago the contract was voted down twice by the cast wanting more money. Prior to the third vote , cast were sent a letter via US mail. If the cast did not vote to approve on the third try then what was presented in the first voting will be implemented regardless of third vote. The unions then convinced the cast to vote to approve on the third vote and the contract was passed. Both parties can surely play hard ball.