On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[Heppenheimer]

Actually leave 35 minutes earlier if you need to scape the frost off the windshield and windows and warm up the car. People who have no idea what it is like living in cold weather climates are in for a little surprise.

DC is a "cold climate"? I mean, they have a winter, sure, but it's usually pretty mild. The summers there are long and sweltering.

 

[networkpro]

Atlanta's highways are pretty awful.

I had a roommate about a decade ago that worked roughly 20 miles from where we lived. He had to take 285 to get there and back (well, not HAD to, but it was faster than any other alternative). Usually took him about an hour and 15 minutes to get back to our place -- could make the same drive in 15 minutes on a weekend.

Ha, I live about 40 miles away from work (exurb outside of 285) to the most congested portion of 285 (between I-75 and I-85) and it takes me only half an hour to get into the office and 45 minutes to get home (well it did 6 months ago when I actually worked in the office). The commuting paradigm for lots of us is going away.

 

[networkpro]

DC is a "cold climate"? I mean, they have a winter, sure, but it's usually pretty mild. The summers there are long and sweltering.

Any place where a real top coat is considered a necessity is cold. I've walked across the frozen Potomac River at Roosevelt Island, so I'd say that's cold enough.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Any place where a real top coat is considered a necessity is cold. I've walked across the frozen Potomac River at Roosevelt Island, so I'd say that's cold enough.

Try northern New England or most of Canada if you think DC is cold enough.

 

[networkpro]

Try northern New England or most of Canada if you think DC is cold enough.

I have, I also laugh at what y'all consider hot.

 

[bryanfze55]

People are becoming more and more aware of Disney's labor practices in Florida, and they're getting louder about it. Disney's last announced wage increase happened as a result. And it needs to keep happening. There's no reason for Orlando to be the lowest wage major US city.

Florida’s wages as a whole are subpar. Hospitality employees in Tampa don’t make any more than hospitality employees in Orlando; there’s just more of them in Orlando.

I’m not sure why, but employees in the Sun Belt are just paid lower on average. I live in the Midwest, low cost of living metro, and the wages here are even significantly higher... I guess because nobody wants to live here?

 

[Lilofan]

Florida’s wages as a whole are subpar. Hospitality employees in Tampa don’t make any more than hospitality employees in Orlando; there’s just more of them in Orlando.

I’m not sure why, but employees in the Sun Belt are just paid lower on average. I live in the Midwest, low cost of living metro, and the wages here are even significantly higher... I guess because nobody wants to live here?

Last I heard Florida the sunshine state is a favorite for many to move to warmer climates and where the water is warm and the drinks are cold. That Midwest winter weather might not be a favorite of some.

 

[bryanfze55]

Last I heard Florida the sunshine state is a favorite for many to move to warmer climates and where the water is warm and the drinks are cold. That Midwest winter weather might not be a favorite of some.

Correct. You suffer a penalty to live in a place some people call “paradise.” To me, Florida is hell on Earth. I guess the question we’ve been pondering is whether or not this is right. You can push wages up everywhere (which I am for), but some city is still going to be the lowest paid. Why not Orlando?

 

[Castmbr]

I do believe in a living wage after working 40 hours.

I would love to know who is the "king of living wage" decision so we can get a number from them that is realistic based upon geographic region considering all areas different. The rate is not what businesses want to pay and it is not what the laziest of lazy employees want either. It's probably somewhere in the middle and you will never please all so do not try....let the market decide since we are free to work and search for work at anytime.

Staying put is easy and complaining about your job is even easier. Making change happen takes work and growth. The choice is up to the individual and some choose to stay in the same position because it is comfortable and risk never getting a real pay increase above COLA.

 

[bryanfze55]

In 2003 that would have been right around the average salary in the USA. That’s not me trying to prove a point at all... just stating a fact.

That’s still above the median individual salary in the United States, believe it or not which hovers just above $30,000. That’s right, the middle American makes just over $15/hour. Granted, I think this includes part time employees but the general thesis stands that most Americans don’t even breach $50K in any given year. To be paid $43,000 per year nearly two decades ago doesn’t sound uniquely oppressive. It just sounds like America.

 

[matt9112]

Sad, but not surprising. I wonder if any leaders are regretting their decision to not furlough back in March and keeping everyone on. It was admirable, but those employees could've received unemployment+ at the time (state unemployment + $600/week) and now would've had some job security as opposed to being laid off after the extra benefits have vanished. Seems like a lose/lose for those employees.

So its my responsibility as a tax payer to pay for them?

 

[ImperfectPixie]

So its my responsibility as a tax payer to pay for them?

Ask Walmart.

 

[bryanfze55]

Low end were less than that. $30 ish.

Unit managers were in the 40’s starting...departments in the 50’s and up.

I had lunch often with a general manager who had 2,112 rooms that grossed $500,000 a night...all in...and they made $70,000s

If he/she had time to eat lunch, he/she clearly wasn’t earning their $70K salary.

 

[matt9112]

Ask Walmart.

Thats a whole rabbit hole i am aware of.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Oh yes.

For its first few years, this “News and Rumors” forum was essentially an online club for many insiders to trade gossip. Think of a local bar after work. Pheneix was one of those original members. Lee and Marni were others. Their track records were impeccable.

Iger had just become CEO and his original policy for WDW was “maintain, don’t build.” Disney refurbed Main Street USA and the HM but ignored almost everything else. You can imagine how negative the insider opinions were.

As the site became more popular and the forums gained more Pixie Dusters, the new members couldn’t handle the realistic conversations and labeled the insiders “Doom-and-Gloomers,” an issue that did exist on many Disney fan sites but was rarely a problem here. But it became tiresome to constantly battle, and many of the new members set themselves up as self-styled experts even though they were not insiders at all—just curiously defensive fans. Original insiders began to fade away.

We also had a few good years with a certain Spirit who left MiceChat and headed here; and even though his attitude was gruff, his Disney business knowledge was dead-on. But he frequently mixed political and personal opinions into his posts, and people joined the boards to tail him and constantly argue even when his Disney news was right.

Steve (Mr. WDWMagic himself) still knows what’s going on, but there are fewer insiders constantly posting. For one thing, many left the company. Others were afraid of revealing their sources when Lasseter cracked down on leaks during his brief stint at WDI. The Spirited discussions on here also attracted Disney Social Media employees who set up accounts specifically to argue and defend. And Lee, Pheneix, and others drifted off.

These are still the best WDW fan forums; and tbh, once a site grows like this, it can’t be the office water cooler for gossip. There are just too many people. Most of the modern news isn’t interesting anyway.

It’s good to see Pheneix again.

What? You don't like my return?

 

[Lilofan]

If he/she had time to eat lunch, he/she clearly wasn’t earning their $70K salary.

If he or she could hook up with the chefs, maybe they can eat for free.

 

[matt9112]

Without getting political? Because of governmental and economic pressures.

..... That and approximately $2.5M a day from the NBA. (Thats the figure i was told - could be higher, could be lower)

IMHO, nothing should be open until this public health emergency is under control.

Its nowhere close to being under control.

Meh have to walk a line. The economic damage will be far worse than the actual death toll from covid. If everything was closed right now i would be in a cardboard box. No thanks.

 

[Lilofan]

So its my responsibility as a tax payer to pay for them?

We as taxpayers pay for a lot to support many things including folks that use the hospital ER like their private doctor office and pharmacy with no intent in paying the bill since no one by law can be denied medical attention at the ER.

 

[matt9112]

I cant get into that without breaking the Politics rules.

Suffice to say, I feel that shouldn't be an issue. People shouldn't have to worry about income or food or rent during this.

Uhhh dollar valuation is a thing...how big of a grenade are you willing to throw.

 

[bryanfze55]

Well if you are concerned about cost of living.. DC shouldn't be high on your list Even way out in our suburbs, many drive an hour to work simply because they can't afford to live near where they work And I'm not talking about 'commuting to the city' - I'm talking about can't live in suburb ABC, so you live in BFE county and commute in.

Anywhere nice in the DC suburbs costs a fortune. Not SF or NYC... but considering I live 45mins from the city and still have those kind of urban comparisons... that should tell you something

Of course you could move out to the country here.. we have really nice stuff out to the west.

For what it’s worth, Denver has a high cost of living also without the correspondingly higher wages of DC. Can’t really get into the housing market in a decent area of Denver for under $450k or so. Low property taxes help.