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

[mkt]

For myself I have figured it out, don't spend my career in a low wage position but that's not the point.
1) yes they need more workers. Yet not only are the functioning they are thriving.
2) they're getting ready to layoff thousands more, now not sure how many in the parks will be effected but last number I saw was they're laying off 7k
3) people are still visiting. Didn't the last earnings call say the parks were probably the most profitable division in the company
4) as you mentioned before due to supply and demand it's not looking like rents are going to stabilize any time soon
Now to me that's handwriting on the wall that I'm not in a great bargaining position

1- Yep
2- Other than Covid, layoffs and furloughs at Disney have always salaried leadership, not front line cast. Disney is still hiring front line CMs for its parks.
3- Oh yeah. And Disney is taking notes of guest complaints and content criticizing the lack of perceived value and negative experiences.
4- Nope.

To me that's a sign that Disney's staffing shortages at the park are going to get worse. If people can't afford to live and work there, eventually they will leave.

Unless Disney intends to go 100% CP/IP for staffing. Which is both genius and evil.

 

[eliza61nyc]

How about pay your employees well regardless of the job it is. I've said it a few times the company I work for is a major retailer and one of the rules they follow is treat your employees well and pay them well and they will want to work for you. Somehow many here don't believe in that concept.

Lol in the words of Dr. Phillips "How's that working for you "
It's a very nice concept, unfortunately I live in reality. If that were the case l could have skipped college and continued to live in NYC off of a department store sales clerk salary. I actually liked that job.
Alas 50 years ago that wasn't how it worked.

 

[mkt]

Alas 50 years ago that wasn't how it worked.

And 50 years later, the world has changed. People now don't put up with crap.

 

[networkpro]

We're likely to move there because even with the higher taxes and cost of living compared to Orlando, putting my kid in a good public school there is cheaper than paying for a private school in Florida to give him an education of comparable quality.

And now that my wife's licensed to practice law in DC, she can try for jobs there which will undoubtedly pay her far more than she earns in Florida.

It's a highly specialized labor market no doubt but also highly transient. The educational resources are top-notch, but once you gain the education, the lower-level opportunities are limited in most fields.

 

[Jrb1979]

Lol in the words of Dr. Phillips "How's that working for you "
It's a very nice concept, unfortunately I live in reality. If that were the case l could have skipped college and continued to live in NYC off of a department store sales clerk salary. I actually liked that job.
Alas 50 years ago that wasn't how it worked.

It's working amazing for me. I can't complain about $30 an hour and $3500 bonus every 6 months.

 

[mkt]

You’re good. I understood your point. Just taking the opportunity to complain about DC traffic lol

We're aiming for Nova or Maryland - just outside of DC - since their schools are better than Florida's, while still being close enough to take the Metro downtown. Which is going to be important for me, because if I move there, I'll have to start appearing in the DC office once in a while (triangle between Mass, G, and North Capitol, a block from Union Station)...

...then again, since it's a block from Union Station, I could just move to Baltimore, enjoy cheap cost of living, and take the MARC or Amtrak in when I need to.

 

[eliza61nyc]

When do they vote on a new contract? anyone hear about offers? it will be interesting to see how this ends.

 

[Alanzo]

Lol in the words of Dr. Phillips "How's that working for you "
It's a very nice concept, unfortunately I live in reality. If that were the case l could have skipped college and continued to live in NYC off of a department store sales clerk salary. I actually liked that job.
Alas 50 years ago that wasn't how it worked.

I appreciate your personal experience working as a sales clerk 50 years ago, but it is not a valid argument against the idea of paying employees well and treating them well in the current job market. The job market has changed significantly since then, and the experiences of workers today are vastly different. Your argument relies on a false equivalency and does not consider the current reality of workers and the job market.

It's important to be open to listening to today's workers and to understand their experiences and perspectives. Many workers today are looking for fair compensation and good working conditions, and companies that prioritize these things often have more loyal and motivated employees. This is not just a "nice concept" - it has been shown to be effective in many modern workplaces.

I encourage you to consider the experiences and needs of today's workers, and to not rely solely on your own personal experience from 50 years ago. It's important to acknowledge that times have changed, and we need to adapt to the current reality of the job market.

 

[mkt]

It's working amazing for me. I can't complain about $30 an hour and $3500 bonus every 6 months.

I work for a major Unionized employer, but since I'm salaried, I'm not in the Union (although I haven't hidden my pro-Union views when relevant). Anyway, thanks to the efforts they make for our union employees, I get 6 weeks PTO (plus an extra day on election day every other year) and my medical/dental/vision costs $50 per person on my plan for the expensive plan. Hell, my paternity leave benefits were better than my wife's maternity leave benefits through her employer... AND SHE'S THE ONE WHO GAVE BIRTH TO OUR SON!

 

[the_rich]

Lol and I guess short term memory is in effect, last contract negotiations everyone swore 15-17 hour would do it. Now it's 20 an hour and in 2 years you'll be back saying it takes 25.00 hour.
And those still in low wage positions will still be struggling saying it's Disney's fault.

Rinse, dry and repeat

Yea, 15-17 might have been good enough last contract. But col goes up. Wages are meant to go up with every contract.

 

[Drdcm]

We're aiming for Nova or Maryland - just outside of DC - since their schools are better than Florida's, while still being close enough to take the Metro downtown. Which is going to be important for me, because if I move there, I'll have to start appearing in the DC office once in a while (triangle between Mass, G, and North Capitol, a block from Union Station)...

...then again, since it's a block from Union Station, I could just move to Baltimore, enjoy cheap cost of living, and take the MARC or Amtrak in when I need to.

We’re a bit further out in Frederick Co, but we really like Maryland. The schools are really good in our area but there’s no legitimate public transport option to get to DC. Its just as long as driving in traffic. My wife commutes to Gaithersburg, which is how we ended up where we are. I work from home, which is awesome.

FWIW, this is the best place I’ve lived to date, I think you’ll like it here despite the traffic.

 

[mkt]

When do they vote on a new contract? anyone hear about offers? it will be interesting to see how this ends.

I've been texting with a high school classmate of mine that works for the union. There's negotiations going on behind the scenes, but he wouldn't say more.

Personally, we know that the CM's can't strike, but I wouldn't be surprised if a few protests start happening at the more visible areas off-property, adjacent to the property line, and if mass call-outs begin to happen.

 

[Jrb1979]

Yea, 15-17 might have been good enough last contract. But col goes up. Wages are meant to go up with every contract.

Yeah and IMO it should go up 6% every year as part of the contract.

 

[the_rich]

Yeah and IMO it should go up 6% every year as part of the contract.

I dont understand how they can say it shouldn't go up. I mean as inflation goes up, wages should go up. I work as a nyc sanitation worker and we are well paid. But our pay goes up every year. Now it alway varies based on the contract we get. I'm glad I live in nyc and have a union with some actual power.

 

[flynnibus]

And what did it get the NIMBYs ? More subdivisions and strip malls.

View attachment 700167

That's haymarket - not the site But it is near to that... (NW of that area)

The area is basically a subdivision now. The PEC was much stronger back then when the Western counties were more rural... all of those areas are being dominated by western growth now.

 

[networkpro]

That's haymarket - not the site But it is near to that... (NW of that area)

The area is basically a subdivision now. The PEC was much stronger back then when the Western counties were more rural... all of those areas are being dominated by western growth now.

Its a really ugly sprawl. my cousins that lived in Middleburg moved last year to Winchester, WV to get away from the mess.

 

[flynnibus]

The minimum wage is a basic labor standard that ensures workers are paid a fair wage for their work.

Companies benefit greatly from their employees' labor and rely on government support (please don't get me started lol) in many ways, so it's not unreasonable for the government to regulate this aspect of the economy.

At the end of the day, a fair minimum wage benefits everyone, including companies who benefit from a stronger, more stable economy. As the saying goes, "a rising tide lifts all boats."

Or flip the table... why not regulate costs? Why not regulate housing and fuel costs to keep living affordable?

Instead of trying to make it so rich companies pay people more, why not make it so all companies can have employees with more affordable living?

(Because that would look like economic drag... and optically that is bad)

The problem with 'just pay people more' is it's a self-defeating loop. Raising wages for everyone just raises inflation, undermining your raise.

 

[Trauma]

Or flip the table... why not regulate costs? Why not regulate housing and fuel costs to keep living affordable?

Instead of trying to make it so rich companies pay people more, why not make it so all companies can have employees with more affordable living?

(Because that would look like economic drag... and optically that is bad)

The problem with 'just pay people more' is it's a self-defeating loop. Raising wages for everyone just raises inflation, undermining your raise.

It’s usually worse than that. The inflation will often raise higher than the wage increase itself.

 

[flynnibus]

...then again, since it's a block from Union Station, I could just move to Baltimore, enjoy cheap cost of living, and take the MARC or Amtrak in when I need to.

I have a crystal ball for you - you won't Unless you are trying to live on the water - no one wants to live in the MARC corridor or up near BWI... and no one wants to move into Baltimore city. Look into hidden costs like water utilities.. and the absurd back-charge model they use for service now.

I had 6 nieces and nephews who moved into the city for their first homes chasing cheap housing (new redevelopment was booming in downtown and east baltimore).. and they all eventually ran away screaming bloody murder due to the true cost of living and constant city living burdens. Now they all live in SFHs out in the border counties, Howard, Frederick, Baltimore, etc

 

[eliza61nyc]

A specter was haunting Europe in 1848.

People get agitated when things like their productivity increases but only the boss gets a raise, and a huge one at that. When people who have homes make laws that make housing more expensive it’s going to cause problems. When entire populations are displaced it’s going to cause problems.

You know lazyboy97o, I actually hope that happens, as you know I'm in Philly which is struggling under the same issues and it's mind-boggling to me how little people care. My ward leaders will have meeting after meeting on how to pressure the city to address affordable housing, we're lucky if we get 5 people. We changed the times, the places, done it by zoom everything. We are the 6th largest city but have thr highest level of poverty and people don't get engaged.

Unfortunately I think it's going to take a complete meltdown