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

[mkt]

Correct on all accounts. When I was a CM, it was Sodexo who ran the CM cafeterias and it wasn't cheap. Many a day I would get a cup of ice and some water to eat my PB&J sandwich I brought from home.

Here's the menus if anyone wants to see:
https://dine.castwdw.com/

 

[mkt]

It is not mandatory for WDW CMs to be union members and pay weekly dues. Union and non union cast get the same raise and union representation if needed in the work place. The non union cast clearly earn more per year than their union peers.

It's not mandatory, but the stewards will fight a lot less for non-members than they do for members.

 

[Ayla]

Here's the menus if anyone wants to see:
https://dine.castwdw.com/

Holy crap, those prices are outrageous.

 

[flynnibus]

Holy crap, those prices are outrageous.

$5 for a sandwich side and drink is outrageous?

$3 breakfast menu items with drink and side?

 

[flynnibus]

Do you think the majority of CM’s don’t want to do more? Most of them want to move up and stay with the company. That’s a bad thing?

That wasn’t what my post responded to… try again

 

[Disstevefan1]

Correct on all accounts. When I was a CM, it was Sodexo who ran the CM cafeterias and it wasn't cheap. Many a day I would get a cup of ice and some water to eat my PB&J sandwich I brought from home.

What's going on here? With the tons of food WDW buys and prepares every day, CMs cafeterias should be subsidized!!

My father-in-law worked for RCID in the 90s and I remember going backstage and eating in cast cafeteria and the prices did seem subsidized.

 

[Ayla]

$5 for a sandwich side and drink is outrageous?

$3 breakfast menu items with drink and side?

It's almost $6 for a sandwich. There are no sides or drinks included in the menus I looked at.

 

[Lilofan]

It's not mandatory, but the stewards will fight a lot less for non-members than they do for members.

I would think that's the scare tactic - join the union ( optional ) and get better representation. You think the non union cast are foolish enough to fall for this lot less representation tactic if not in union?

 

[mkt]

I would think that's the scare tactic - join the union ( optional ) and get better representation. You think the non union cast are foolish enough to fall for this lot less representation tactic if not in union?

It's not a scare tactic. It's something I witnessed and experienced first-hand.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

You don't buy new cars as a CM. $400 would get you transportation back then

I can’t feel bad about that. My first new car was last year at age 50. I’ve had better used cars and I’ve had beaters. That’s life.

Just like doing Disney: in the beginning, our biggest expense was the (2-4 day) ticket, and that was a splurge. We stayed in $30 hotels and ate fast food offsite, and brought from home.

I don’t think that was terrible, we had a great time. Eventually we’d have some meals on property. After many years, we stayed at our first moderate resort for a whole 2 nights.

Since then, we’ve stayed at the Grand Flo, dined at V&A, done special events and tours - and we appreciate it all the more because of the times we couldn’t.

I still wouldn’t trade those times.

Just like in life. I started in retail, and even once I got into management, didn’t make much money - but I had friends and we’d go out and drink, dance, karaoke, whatever. I worked 60-80 hours a week and sometimes had to cut cable TV and watch a few channels on my 13” black & white set (and this was in the 90’s.)

Now I own my own store with 2 locations, own our home, married 15 years. Not wealthy, but doing OK and satisfied with my life and the steady progress I’ve made in all areas. It’s a different kind of happy, but both times were happy, and again - I wouldn’t trade those times. I appreciate today all the more.

I understand the 25 year olds. If you had asked me back then, I wouldn’t have had the wisdom nor the perspective to appreciate it at the time. Trust and faith go a long way.

 

[mkt]

It's almost $6 for a sandwich. There are no sides or drinks included in the menus I looked at.

different menus and prices for different locations.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

That's $37k at $18/hr.

After normal deductions and assumption for a cheap healthcare plan for one, that's $500/wk.

If you're single and with roommates, you can do it fine. If you've got a family, you're not doing fine.

Then address why housing is so high.

No, it’s easier to blame your employer for something they have nothing to do with.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Using "the norm" sounds nice, but we're also talking about a housing market currently facing both a major shortage and a line of higher-wage remote workers from out-of-state trying to get in.

For local earners, metro Orlando is one of the most unaffordable housing markets there is.

Fix it.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

a lot of people don’t want to become managers…

Then they don’t get manager pay.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

And my question to you, a Disney park fan.
If all of those people leave for better choices, does the Disney park experience get better or worse?

That’s not anyone’s problem here right now. It’s a different subject and a complete hypothetical.

 

[mkt]

Then address why housing is so high.

No, it’s easier to blame your employer for something they have nothing to do with.

A shortage of housing combined with an excess of demand driven by new residents to the state that earn higher out-of-state salaries.

 

[mkt]

Fix it.

How?

This isn't a problem that one person fixes.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

How?

This isn't a problem that one person fixes.

Apparently it is, the company just doubles payroll over a few years, right? (No matter who lives where or what their expenses are.)

 

[Rich Brownn]

Yes and in 1984 I went to college dirt cheap, what's your point?
By that logic the NYU owes my kids cheap tuition.
This ain't 1975 and we're not going back

My point is wages have not kept up with inflation and that it is not something that is sustainable. Surprisingly going to college is an option. Eating and living with a roof over your head should not be.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Does WDW , food service depts supply staff with a free meal during their shift? That quite a bit of money not spent money saved annually of not regularly eating at the work location cafeteria .

No, food is still served at a discounted (based on theme park prices) rate.