From FabulousDisneyBabe.com:
SEIU letter to Roy
Posted : 1/11/2004 by Michelle
From a WDW Cast Member and union member. I've removed personal references to avoid repercussions against this Cast Member.
***
Dear Mr. Disney:
I have to say that the conditions of your departure from the Walt Disney Company were most unfortunate. I applaud your courage and unselfish stance in saying what long has needed to be publicly said about the Company and its virtual dictatorship under Mr. Eisner. This was most welcome by the Cast and millions in the public arena.
Eisner has done a great deal for the Walt Disney Company, without question. But he has outlived his usefulness and has set our company on a collision course with almost certain failure.
As a longtime WDW Cast Member, (position), (union position) and lifelong Central Florida resident, I feel a certain sadness and loss over how our full-time workforce is being marginalized and replaced with thousands of temporary, underpaid college students in the WDW College and International Programs.
Thousands of potentially livable-wage jobs are being shamelessly bulldozed in the name of corporate greed, along with the general public's view of Disney as a once-valuable community member.
'Married to the Mouse,' a book by local Rollins College Professor Rick Foglesong, details how Disney now 'steals' from the Central Florida community by taking millions in tax bonds to build new projects on its property, yet doesn't return the favor to Central Florida in the form of decent-paying jobs for its citizens.
Then Orange County Commissioner Mel Martinez (now Secretary of HUD in D.C.) had once blasted Disney in 1999(?) publicly saying, 'What you[Disney] are paying these people does not allow them to live in this community!' This was after a report's findings by the Orange County Housing Authority which showed that the majority of low-income Orange County residents who could not afford basic housing were Disney employees.
It seems that since 1994, Eisner has begun a sort of war of attrition against his full-time employees, particularly here in Orlando, by the replacement of FT jobs with college students and what's even more offensive, by non-American citizens of the 'International Program.'
I believe it was November of 1994 when Eisner, on 'Larry King Live' said, 'My employees are overpaid and underworked. I could get trained chimps to do a better job than my employees. I, on the other hand, am overworked and underpaid.'
When asked how could he make such a statement when '60% of your employees are eligible for federal assistance?,' he ripped off his lavaliere mic and stormed off the set. (Great video clip material for your site.)
What I'm asking, Roy, is there a way you could publicize the lack of competitive pay and corresponding lack of quality and devotion among the use of cheap, disposable even foreign labor in its theme parks and resorts that does not have a vested interest in the ultimate success of the Walt Disney Company?
Are you willing to consider becoming an ally with the Service Trades Council which represents 27,000 employees at the WDW resort and help shed public light on the fact that many of us have to work far more than 40 hours a week to make ends meet and that many of us are on some sort of Federal assistance, which vastly contributes to our overall demoralization?
Our current contract expires in May of 2004. Negotiations begin sometime in February, and many of us are gravely concerned that we may suffer even more wage scale reductions and an even further diminished quality of life for ourselves and our families.
As a Disney (position), I'm recently frustrated with trying nearly in vain to (position-related) who barely speak English, how to operate a complex ride system such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Space Mountain.
What's even more demoralizing is that we just received 16 Brazilians at (area), which is more than HALF the entire operating staff. Why, I ask myself, am I training these Non-Americans to work here and replace my fellow American worker? Why?
The sad fact is, they're cheap and disposable. And, Disney can pay even less to American, Full-Time workers since the natural market forces of supply and demand have been short-circuited. Even more disconcerting is the fact that the few Full-Timers we do receive into the Company these days are of such poor quality and far below the standards that Disney was once world-renowned for, that upper management seems to justify that we are better off with the 'college kids' since 'we just can't find enough qualified people to work in our resorts.'
To hell with Quality. To hell with Safety. To hell with experienced, knowledgeable employees. To hell with the Integrity of the Show. That is what I am receiving to train the past few years. A revolving door of people who don't give a damn about their jobs.
I have already announced that I am resigning from (position), citing the lack of quality among new hires and temporary workers. My area is woefully short on (position), as Full-Timers are near extinct in our area.
Breakdowns that are easily avoidable and manageable are becoming major catastrophies with large numbers of unskilled, inexperienced attractions workers being poorly trained in large numbers. Add to this problem incompetent, inexperienced front-line managers who make questionable decisions, mis-manage and micro-manage our attractions in ridiculous ways.
It's disgusting.
Well, I hope I've communicated to you the gravity of our labor situation at WDW. I'm not anti-Disney in any way. I love Disney and it's past time to make a sea change for the better. For our loyal customers and shareholders and our once-valued Cast.
Thank you sincerely,
(Cast Member)
SEIU letter to Roy
Posted : 1/11/2004 by Michelle
From a WDW Cast Member and union member. I've removed personal references to avoid repercussions against this Cast Member.
***
Dear Mr. Disney:
I have to say that the conditions of your departure from the Walt Disney Company were most unfortunate. I applaud your courage and unselfish stance in saying what long has needed to be publicly said about the Company and its virtual dictatorship under Mr. Eisner. This was most welcome by the Cast and millions in the public arena.
Eisner has done a great deal for the Walt Disney Company, without question. But he has outlived his usefulness and has set our company on a collision course with almost certain failure.
As a longtime WDW Cast Member, (position), (union position) and lifelong Central Florida resident, I feel a certain sadness and loss over how our full-time workforce is being marginalized and replaced with thousands of temporary, underpaid college students in the WDW College and International Programs.
Thousands of potentially livable-wage jobs are being shamelessly bulldozed in the name of corporate greed, along with the general public's view of Disney as a once-valuable community member.
'Married to the Mouse,' a book by local Rollins College Professor Rick Foglesong, details how Disney now 'steals' from the Central Florida community by taking millions in tax bonds to build new projects on its property, yet doesn't return the favor to Central Florida in the form of decent-paying jobs for its citizens.
Then Orange County Commissioner Mel Martinez (now Secretary of HUD in D.C.) had once blasted Disney in 1999(?) publicly saying, 'What you[Disney] are paying these people does not allow them to live in this community!' This was after a report's findings by the Orange County Housing Authority which showed that the majority of low-income Orange County residents who could not afford basic housing were Disney employees.
It seems that since 1994, Eisner has begun a sort of war of attrition against his full-time employees, particularly here in Orlando, by the replacement of FT jobs with college students and what's even more offensive, by non-American citizens of the 'International Program.'
I believe it was November of 1994 when Eisner, on 'Larry King Live' said, 'My employees are overpaid and underworked. I could get trained chimps to do a better job than my employees. I, on the other hand, am overworked and underpaid.'
When asked how could he make such a statement when '60% of your employees are eligible for federal assistance?,' he ripped off his lavaliere mic and stormed off the set. (Great video clip material for your site.)
What I'm asking, Roy, is there a way you could publicize the lack of competitive pay and corresponding lack of quality and devotion among the use of cheap, disposable even foreign labor in its theme parks and resorts that does not have a vested interest in the ultimate success of the Walt Disney Company?
Are you willing to consider becoming an ally with the Service Trades Council which represents 27,000 employees at the WDW resort and help shed public light on the fact that many of us have to work far more than 40 hours a week to make ends meet and that many of us are on some sort of Federal assistance, which vastly contributes to our overall demoralization?
Our current contract expires in May of 2004. Negotiations begin sometime in February, and many of us are gravely concerned that we may suffer even more wage scale reductions and an even further diminished quality of life for ourselves and our families.
As a Disney (position), I'm recently frustrated with trying nearly in vain to (position-related) who barely speak English, how to operate a complex ride system such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Space Mountain.
What's even more demoralizing is that we just received 16 Brazilians at (area), which is more than HALF the entire operating staff. Why, I ask myself, am I training these Non-Americans to work here and replace my fellow American worker? Why?
The sad fact is, they're cheap and disposable. And, Disney can pay even less to American, Full-Time workers since the natural market forces of supply and demand have been short-circuited. Even more disconcerting is the fact that the few Full-Timers we do receive into the Company these days are of such poor quality and far below the standards that Disney was once world-renowned for, that upper management seems to justify that we are better off with the 'college kids' since 'we just can't find enough qualified people to work in our resorts.'
To hell with Quality. To hell with Safety. To hell with experienced, knowledgeable employees. To hell with the Integrity of the Show. That is what I am receiving to train the past few years. A revolving door of people who don't give a damn about their jobs.
I have already announced that I am resigning from (position), citing the lack of quality among new hires and temporary workers. My area is woefully short on (position), as Full-Timers are near extinct in our area.
Breakdowns that are easily avoidable and manageable are becoming major catastrophies with large numbers of unskilled, inexperienced attractions workers being poorly trained in large numbers. Add to this problem incompetent, inexperienced front-line managers who make questionable decisions, mis-manage and micro-manage our attractions in ridiculous ways.
It's disgusting.
Well, I hope I've communicated to you the gravity of our labor situation at WDW. I'm not anti-Disney in any way. I love Disney and it's past time to make a sea change for the better. For our loyal customers and shareholders and our once-valued Cast.
Thank you sincerely,
(Cast Member)
