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

[matt9112]

I’m not sure it’s been brought recently in this thread...so as a reminder:

They do NOT want APs descending on those parks. Don’t look for it to change. It doesn’t make financial sense in their market.

Yeah i thought about getting a new one (expired before covid) but saw they halted sales and was like mkay guess not.

 

[TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives]

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

The money was given out regardless of how you feel. I know what it feels like to be laid off through no fault of your own. The people laid off weren’t just your standard $10/hr employees but professionals who made a lot more than that (I know because they’re showing up on my LinkedIn). For the record, an additional $600/week would not make me whole, but it would be a hell of a lot easier to provide for my family than the measly $300 or so a week I got when I was drawing unemployment. I was fortunate to get a new job within 6 weeks, but these people are now facing a significantly more difficult job market.

 

[eliza61nyc]

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.

It's not they don't have any intention it's that they can't.
Last month rush #2 minion to the ER because he had difficulties breathing. Thank God it turned out to be something call a tonsil stone that broke off and was lodge in his throat. Even with supposedly great BC/BS insurance he owes a couple of grand. Now with an entry level job, student loan, rent etc. Nope that bill ain't getting paid. And I don't have a problem with that. Health care in this country is a cluster$& but that's a whole nother debate

 

[matt9112]

I would comment on "monthly payment plans for annual passes" but the last time I offered commentary on people making poor life decisions it didn't end well for me.

If i spend less

The money was given out regardless of how you feel. I know what it feels like to be laid off through no fault of your own. The people laid off weren’t just your standard $10/hr employees but professionals who made a lot more than that (I know because they’re showing up on my LinkedIn). For the record, an additional $600/week would not make me whole, but it would be a hell of a lot easier to provide for my family than the measly $300 or so a week I got when I was drawing unemployment. I was fortunate to get a new job within 6 weeks, but these people are now facing a significantly more difficult job market.

Arent these career oriented college educated folks supposed to have a big fat bank account of savings? Because they are smarter than the rest of us ?

 

[Disorbust]

@ParentsOf4 well I'm glad your back and am looking forward to your anaylsis of the earnings call!!

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Disney doesn’t need more employees now and won’t for a long time. They can afford to burn off 20% of their current parks employees and be fine. Have you seen the crowds in the parks?

Then if they need to add employees in 8
-12 months they won’t have an issue hiring employees. The unemployment rate in Orlando is above 17%.

This is where I would caution against people imagining that this crisis will lead to a great reckoning and a change in the economic model that favours higher wages and better working conditions for people at places like WDW or fast food restaurants.

All of that could happen, but in contexts like Orlando it seems equally if not more likely that with mass unemployment people will get increasingly desperate to jump at whatever scraps are on offer. Then the hand of companies like Disney become stronger at a moment in which their investors are pressuring them to push harder to extract greater profits in a difficult environment. With the onus now being to extract greater profits out of fewer workers, it's hard to imagine anything but a deteriorating situation for frontline workers. That's the scenario that the much vaunted free market left to its own devices will likely produce without legislation, stronger unions, or mass civil unrest.

 

[bryanfze55]

It's not they don't have any intention it's that they can't.
Last month rush #2 minion to the ER because he had difficulties breathing. Thank God it turned out to be something call a tonsil stone that broke off and was lodge in his throat. Even with supposedly great BC/BS insurance he owes a couple of grand. Now with an entry level job, student loan, rent etc. Nope that bill ain't getting paid. And I don't have a problem with that. Health care in this country is a cluster$& but that's a whole nother debate

That’s unfortunate. He might want to consider a 12 or 24 month payment plan. Perhaps it can be done on that. The hit to a credit score from unpaid medical bills can be pretty drastic. Trust me, I know medical bills suck. I had to pay $5,000 last year for the birth of my child (and yes I also have “great” insurance). When my mom had me in 1992, she paid a $100 copay with mediocre insurance ...dammit Boomers!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The money was given out regardless of how you feel. I know what it feels like to be laid off through no fault of your own. The people laid off weren’t just your standard $10/hr employees but professionals who made a lot more than that (I know because they’re showing up on my LinkedIn). For the record, an additional $600/week would not make me whole, but it would be a hell of a lot easier to provide for my family than the measly $300 or so a week I got when I was drawing unemployment. I was fortunate to get a new job within 6 weeks, but these people are now facing a significantly more difficult job market.

I can’t stand this standard “givers and takers” tinge to this conversation...in THIS scenario. Though there are flaws in that stance at all times.

I heard an economist say this: “we didn’t stimulate the economy...we put it into a medically induced coma”

That is 100% correct. Needed to make sure no component collapsed - and quickly. That includes the average middle to lower class person. And I KNOW we all hate that...

But it needed to be done for the whole system and probably still does. Need some tweaks though...can’t argue that.

But I hate the spite that somehow “everyone is making out” - what a load of crap as always.

You know who made out? Bob Iger. The federal reserve created and injected $3.7 trillion of “liquidity” into the market with a snap of the fingers...buying junk bonds and trash debt that no normal human would spend their money on. And you know why? Because that’s what they learned in the housing crash: don’t make US pay! Don’t touch the markets. We don’t want the burden of paying.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is where I would caution against people imagining that this crisis will lead to a great reckoning and a change in the economic model that favours higher wages and better working conditions for people at places like WDW or fast food restaurants.

All of that could happen, but in contexts like Orlando it seems equally if not more likely that with mass unemployment people will get increasingly desperate to jump at whatever scraps are on offer. Then the hand of companies like Disney become stronger at a moment in which their investors are pressuring them to push harder to extract greater profits in a difficult environment. That's the scenario that the much vaunted free market left to its own devices will likely produce without legislation, stronger unions, or mass civil unrest.

Oh I agree...

Things COULD change...probably gonna get worse for the labor market in Florida. I’ve seen this fish before.

 

[TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives]

Arent these career oriented college educated folks supposed to have a big fat bank account of savings? Because they are smarter than the rest of us ?

It all depends. What if they're making $70K a year, have a couple of kids, and still paying off college loans? Do we still fault them? They might have three months of expenses saved, but it takes six months for them to get a new job. Do we still fault them? What if they had to take a chunk of their savings out for medical expenses or home repairs (new HVAC in the middle of summer is not cheap)? It's not as cut and dry.

 

[TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives]

I can’t stand this standard “givers and takers” tinge to this conversation...in THIS scenario. Though there are flaws in that stance at all times.

I heard an economist say this: “we didn’t stimulate the economy...we put it into a medically induced coma”

That is 100% correct. Needed to make sure no component collapsed - and quickly. That includes the average middle to lower class person. And I KNOW we all hate that...

But it needed to be done for the whole system and probably still does. Need some tweaks though...can’t argue that.

But I hate the spite that somehow “everyone is making out” - what a load of crap as always.

You know who made out? Bob Iger. The federal reserve created and injected $3.7 trillion of “liquidity” into the market with a snap of the fingers...buying junk bonds and trash debt that no normal human would spend their money on. And you know why? Because that’s what they learned in the housing crash: don’t make US pay! Don’t touch the markets. We don’t want the burden of paying.

Exactly. My hope is that those who were making minimum wage and this was an increase in money for them (most likely a significant amount more) used it to either pay off debt or saved it to help pay the bills for the next few months. I doubt it in a lot of cases, but I certainly hope that's the case because it definitely appears another bill won't be passed with that same benefit included.

Stop being mad at those who are the poorest of us and start looking towards the richest of us that tremendously profited off of this pandemic and don't take care of their employees (looking at you Bezos).

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Arent these career oriented college educated folks supposed to have a big fat bank account of savings? Because they are smarter than the rest of us ?

...until the manufacturing went overseas - wrecking the management/labor paradigm- and everyone started going to college because “that’s what you have to do” with no slotting afterward.

Banks are happy though...$2 tril in college debt later. Making it rain!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Exactly. My hope is that those who were making minimum wage and this was an increase in money for them (most likely a significant amount more) used it to either pay off debt or saved it to help pay the bills for the next few months. I doubt it in a lot of cases, but I certainly hope that's the case because it definitely appears another bill won't be passed with that same benefit included.

Stop being mad at those who are the poorest of us and start looking towards the richest of us that tremendously profited off of this pandemic and don't take care of their employees (looking at you Bezos).

Bezos personally made an estimated $6,000,000,000 during the pandemic shutdown quarter...extra.

That’s right “extra”

 

[BigThunderMatt]

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.

That's a huge word salad to essentially say 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps'. Which is another way of saying 'my unique situation worked for me, so clearly it will also work for you'.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

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.

Very short-sighted and superficially “buzz wordy”

It's not they don't have any intention it's that they can't.
Last month rush #2 minion to the ER because he had difficulties breathing. Thank God it turned out to be something call a tonsil stone that broke off and was lodge in his throat. Even with supposedly great BC/BS insurance he owes a couple of grand. Now with an entry level job, student loan, rent etc. Nope that bill ain't getting paid. And I don't have a problem with that. Health care in this country is a cluster$& but that's a whole nother debate

Very insightful...and healthcare is always part of the discussion...even though this country has tried to deny it for decades - kicking and screaming

 

[Polkadotdress]

Watch the Florida Project starring Willem Dafoe. It's at WDW and Celebration's doorstep.

Seen it. Very sad. Still confused by why you all think the local Celebration Publix is so dangerous?

 

[mkt]

Lol you don't know **** about unions

Tell me more about what I don’t know.

Or I can tell you about how unions are a joke in a right to work state. And I say this as a former teamster and former member of IATSE.

 

[matt9112]

It all depends. What if they're making $70K a year, have a couple of kids, and still paying off college loans? Do we still fault them? They might have three months of expenses saved, but it takes six months for them to get a new job. Do we still fault them? What if they had to take a chunk of their savings out for medical expenses or home repairs (new HVAC in the middle of summer is not cheap)? It's not as cut and dry.

Going to school you cant afford counts just as much as me getting an AP on oayment plans

 

[mkt]

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

You already are. See how many Walmart employees and Disney CM's get qualify for government assistance, even if they're working full time.

Not to mention all of your tax dollars going in incentives to these businesses that don't pay living wages. Corporate welfare is real, and far worse than anything humans get in aid.

 

[mkt]

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.

That's a fair point. I'd replace the federal minimum wage with legislation mandating a mandatory living wage based off of your MSA's living wage.

You'd have places where $7.25/hr is the minimum, and you'll have places where $25/hr is the minimum.