How do some friends of characters get away with slacking off while others give 100%?

[luckyeye13]

I disagree. When someone is hired as a Prime Time server, they can be told what the expectations of the position are and what the salary compensation will be for that position. They can then make a decision on whether or not they want the position. I doubt anyone taking that job doesn't know what the expectations are.

The problem lies with the fact that one is not hired as a Prime Time Cafe server, they are hired as just a server and are placed at Prime Time. Here is another example of the way that Cast Members are allocated. When I was considering the idea of going full-time (instead of seasonal) in a front-line role, one of the managers at Pleasure Island Admissions had offered to give me a letter to take to Casting so that I would be placed in that area (as I had worked many overtime shifts there and was quite familiar with how the area worked). This was because if I put in for an Operations/Attractions role without that letter, I could be placed in a whole range of areas from PI Admissions to Space Mountain to the parking lots to Friendship Boats.

 

[drew81]

Heres the dealio. Some people don't care. They're there for the paycheck so they will do the bear minimum to get the job done. 'Love & Shove' as it's called. And then there are other performers who want to give it their all for themselves, the kids, and for more opportunities in the company (better performance=more parades/shows). The people like that are the ones who have the good time doing what theyre doing out there.

But even people who do care have to "love and shove" at times. Especially if they're working character dining at certain locations.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Heres the dealio. Some people don't care. They're there for the paycheck so they will do the bear minimum to get the job done. 'Love & Shove' as it's called. And then there are other performers who want to give it their all for themselves, the kids, and for more opportunities in the company (better performance=more parades/shows). The people like that are the ones who have the good time doing what theyre doing out there.

And that goes for doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc...all of whom make a tad more than WDW cast.

 

[joanna71985]

In all honesty it's because Disney is desperate. They can't afford to be picky about friends of characters.

Really? Disney is desperate for characters? You could have fooled me.

 

[cmcmcm]

But even people who do care have to "love and shove" at times. Especially if they're working character dining at certain locations.

I know that, and in that situation its totally understandable. It's hard to perform up to full potential when there are waiters, food, crying kids, annoyed parents..the whole situation makes for an awkward time. But during standard meet n greets..there's really no excuse for spending less than thirty seconds with a child.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

To be more accurate unions seem to protect those slack and whine considerably more than those that do their jobs and care about the quality of their work.

The 8 hour work day, lunch breaks, vacations, insurance....these things that many of us we take for granted became accepted thanks to Unions. If you ever want quality woodwork done on your house what would you rather have, a union certified carpenter or some jack*ss that read a few books?

 

[ClemsonTigger]

The 8 hour work day, lunch breaks, vacations, insurance....these things that many of us we take for granted became accepted thanks to Unions. If you ever want quality woodwork done on your house what would you rather have, a union certified carpenter or some jack*ss that read a few books?

You are 100% correct....but in recent years the value of the union to anyone but themselves is questionable. They provide little more than a second layer government like bureaucracies that care more about union survival than the workers. I have heard on numerous occasions that union rules contribute significantly to some of the un-Disney behavior being discussed here. JMO

As to your second question...there are a lot of other options in getting my woodwork done between what you offered. And I have been Very happy with excellent quality woodwork done by non- union artisans correcting the union labor used to build my house.

 

[Jesùs_Carioca]

99% sure that safari drivers get paid a premium compared to other Ops positions.

an extra dollar an hour, for spieling/driving... that's if you're NOT a college program kid. They pay them the same flat rate.





Oh, and in respect to Disney's Union... I'd like them more if they weren't so, well...unmagical in certain places? They're relatively shady in getting people to sign the joining contract, which they do not expound over the fact that it is optional to join. It's concerning, because when signing the contract, you're legally bound for a year to take pieces out of your pay every week for union dues, with no chance of getting out. They dupe a fair share of incoming short-term kids for part-time summer jobs like that.

I know they have done excessive amounts in helping the workers though, i do respect them.

 

[Hakunamatata]

The 8 hour work day, lunch breaks, vacations, insurance....these things that many of us we take for granted became accepted thanks to Unions. If you ever want quality woodwork done on your house what would you rather have, a union certified carpenter or some jack*ss that read a few books?

And just think of how much more we could have gotten had they not been involved.....

 

[TheKeeler7]

Because their union protects those who slack....

Sorry to open up that can of worms, but that's the truth

That may be true in some circles but Florida is a right to work state.
When my BIL whose been a server 20+ years including prime time and sci-fi was being "jerked" around previous to hitting his 10 years I suggested complaining to the union to which he laughed. Beyond contract negotiations I was told the union is powerless.

 

[Master Yoda]

The 8 hour work day, lunch breaks, vacations, insurance....these things that many of us we take for granted became accepted thanks to Unions. If you ever want quality woodwork done on your house what would you rather have, a union certified carpenter or some jack*ss that read a few books?

You are 100% correct....but in recent years the value of the union to anyone but themselves is questionable. They provide little more than a second layer government like bureaucracies that care more about union survival than the workers. I have heard on numerous occasions that union rules contribute significantly to some of the un-Disney behavior being discussed here. JMO

As to your second question...there are a lot of other options in getting my woodwork done between what you offered. And I have been Very happy with excellent quality woodwork done by non- union artisans correcting the union labor used to build my house.

ClemsonTigger pretty much summed it up. Unions are necessary because without them companies would take advantage of an un-unionized work force. I see it every time that contract negations come up for my wife's union. If her company had their way the workers would get paid the absolute minimum the company could get away with and benefits would be non existent. But the unions have become nothing more than corrupt companies themselves protecting people that deserve to be fired and ignoring those that have a legitimate issue all for the simple reason that the more people in the union the more they collect in dues.

What stinks is all this expense gets passed onto the consumers.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

That may be true in some circles but Florida is a right to work state.
When my BIL whose been a server 20+ years including prime time and sci-fi was being "jerked" around previous to hitting his 10 years I suggested complaining to the union to which he laughed. Beyond contract negotiations I was told the union is powerless.

Disney unions....lets see
-make enough noise each contract to unsettle both management and cast, give bad impressions to guests, publish inflammatory reports and threaten strike or work action
-settle for same old, same old contract leaving membership even more frustrated/bitter
-take their nice cut out of already meager salaries
-promote and protect dead wood that is just there to collect a check
-avoids addressing any real conflict or unfair acts with individual union members
-negotiates silly automatic tipping that may or may not end up producing lower overall tips, but will guarantee higher taxation of all servers.

did I miss anything?

 

[kimmychad]

there are some things that i get through my union that i could probably get on my own, and they do protect some lazy emplyees where i work. and yes i pay alot for their services, about $40 a month. but i also know what i would get without a union there.

- decreased wages. hospitals within my area that aren't union pay $8-$9 an hour. i make over $13.
- unfair scheduling, ie. worked an unfair amount of weekends compared to other employees. how do i know? because she tries to get away with it now, and i don't agree with it unless i get something in return. for example, in exchange for her working me 3 weekends in a row im now off five days in a row, if i wasn't in a union she would just say too bad.
- unreasonable amount of time off in between shifts. for example, i've been scheduled for a midnight shift one night and then an afternoon the next day. the entire next day was overtime due to the early return clause i have in my contract.
and no i don't agree with everything my union does, but with my hospital doing some of the things they do they've brought a union on themselves.

 

[drew81]

I know that, and in that situation its totally understandable. It's hard to perform up to full potential when there are waiters, food, crying kids, annoyed parents..the whole situation makes for an awkward time. But during standard meet n greets..there's really no excuse for spending less than thirty seconds with a child.

I've seen that and I agree with you, but sometimes I think it has to do with the guest. The parent drags the kid to get the picture. The kid stands there with the character. The character tries to interact and the guest just wants a picture or an autograph not interaction.

 

[Siege898]

I think it comes down to the same way all CM's are rated. They only have to work just hard enough not to get complained about, besides we don't really get performance raises just the one every year as dictated by the union.