"Universal Orlando employees are getting raises next month with starting pay jumping to $15 an hour, the company said Thursday, calling it the largest single wage increase ever made by the theme park company.
Universal becomes the first major theme park in Central Florida to offer $15 an hour to new workers.
The pay hikes begin June 27 for more than 18,000 employees, which includes full-time and part-time hourly jobs as well as entry-level salaried positions, Universal said in a news release. Under the new base pay rates, some employees above the $15 rate could get paid more depending on how long they’ve worked at the attraction.
“We are excited about our future and we want team members who will be excited to be part of that journey,” said John Sprouls, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Universal Parks & Resorts, in a statement. “This is about taking care of both our current team members and those who will be joining our team.”
Universal is in the middle of hiring new employees and seeks to add more than 2,000 summer jobs, the company said in a press release earlier this month.
Universal’s starting pay had previously been $13 an hour although executives said they were looking ahead to increase pay to $15 an hour by the time its new Epic Universe theme park opened. Universal is constructing its third theme park near the Orange County Convention Center that was originally set to open in 2023 but has since faced delays because of the pandemic.
Thursday’s announcement means the raises are now going to happen years soon before Epic Universe’s debut and months ahead of Universal’s biggest competitor, Walt Disney World, going up to $15 an hour. In 2018, Disney and its largest union coalition reached a contract deal that phased in salary increases to reach a $15 minimum pay by October."
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www.orlandosentinel.com
Universal becomes the first major theme park in Central Florida to offer $15 an hour to new workers.
The pay hikes begin June 27 for more than 18,000 employees, which includes full-time and part-time hourly jobs as well as entry-level salaried positions, Universal said in a news release. Under the new base pay rates, some employees above the $15 rate could get paid more depending on how long they’ve worked at the attraction.
“We are excited about our future and we want team members who will be excited to be part of that journey,” said John Sprouls, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Universal Parks & Resorts, in a statement. “This is about taking care of both our current team members and those who will be joining our team.”
Universal is in the middle of hiring new employees and seeks to add more than 2,000 summer jobs, the company said in a press release earlier this month.
Universal’s starting pay had previously been $13 an hour although executives said they were looking ahead to increase pay to $15 an hour by the time its new Epic Universe theme park opened. Universal is constructing its third theme park near the Orange County Convention Center that was originally set to open in 2023 but has since faced delays because of the pandemic.
Thursday’s announcement means the raises are now going to happen years soon before Epic Universe’s debut and months ahead of Universal’s biggest competitor, Walt Disney World, going up to $15 an hour. In 2018, Disney and its largest union coalition reached a contract deal that phased in salary increases to reach a $15 minimum pay by October."
More at the story below -
Universal increases starting pay to $15 an hour, first major Orlando theme park to do it
Universal Orlando employees are getting raises next month with starting pay jumping to $15 an hour, the company said Thursday, calling it the largest single wage increase ever made by the theme par…
www.orlandosentinel.com
