News Walt Disney World Union Passes new Contract

[Gringrinngghost]

While there isn't much info out on the new contract. Orlando Weekly and Orlando Sentinel are reporting that the union has overwhelmingly passed the new contract that would increase base cast member pay to $15 by 2021.

As per the associated press:
Besides raising the starting minimum wage almost 50 percent to $15 an hour in three years, the proposed four-year contract would raise wages for existing workers by at least $4.75 an hour by October 2021. If the contract is ratified, each Florida worker will receive a $1,000 bonus that Disney had paid to other employees after last year’s tax cut by Congress. Those bonuses were withheld during the contract negotiations.

The new contract expands anti-discrimination protections to include gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, military or veteran status and genetic information.

In return for the higher wages, the coalition of unions, known as the Service Trades Council Union, agreed to allow Disney to use more part-time workers. Under the old contract, 35 percent of the union workforce can be part-timers, but that was raised to 38 percent in the new deal, although Disney doesn’t currently reach its limit on part-timers.

New hires also would have to wait longer to switch jobs under the new deal. The old contract allowed for a transfer after six months, but that would change to a year under the new contract. The contract also allows Disney the ability to expand the probationary period for some new workers from three months to six months.

The new contract expanded the types of workers who could be subject to random drug tests. It also added extra language giving managers the right to “supervise, and control the manner, means and details by which employees perform their work duties as well as the ends to be accomplished.”

 

[FireChiefGoofy]

While there isn't much info out on the new contract. Orlando Weekly and Orlando Sentinel are reporting that the union has overwhelmingly passed the new contract that would increase base cast member pay to $15 by 2021.

As per the associated press:
Besides raising the starting minimum wage almost 50 percent to $15 an hour in three years, the proposed four-year contract would raise wages for existing workers by at least $4.75 an hour by October 2021. If the contract is ratified, each Florida worker will receive a $1,000 bonus that Disney had paid to other employees after last year’s tax cut by Congress. Those bonuses were withheld during the contract negotiations.

The new contract expands anti-discrimination protections to include gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, military or veteran status and genetic information.

In return for the higher wages, the coalition of unions, known as the Service Trades Council Union, agreed to allow Disney to use more part-time workers. Under the old contract, 35 percent of the union workforce can be part-timers, but that was raised to 38 percent in the new deal, although Disney doesn’t currently reach its limit on part-timers.

New hires also would have to wait longer to switch jobs under the new deal. The old contract allowed for a transfer after six months, but that would change to a year under the new contract. The contract also allows Disney the ability to expand the probationary period for some new workers from three months to six months.

The new contract expanded the types of workers who could be subject to random drug tests. It also added extra language giving managers the right to “supervise, and control the manner, means and details by which employees perform their work duties as well as the ends to be accomplished.”

There isn’t much info because you already have it. We the CMs if WDW gained in this contract. In addition to pay increases, tax cut bonus, and expanded bereavement leave, we also gained 5 paid days off in the event of another closure due to hurricanes, etc. Remember last year after Hurricane Irma when Disney was refusing to pay union Cast after being closed for two days while paying nonunion Cast. We now have that protection in our new contract.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

There isn’t much info because you already have it. We the CMs if WDW gained in this contract. In addition to pay increases, tax cut bonus, and expanded bereavement leave, we also gained 5 paid days off in the event of another closure due to hurricanes, etc. Remember last year after Hurricane Irma when Disney was refusing to pay union Cast after being closed for two days while paying nonunion Cast. We now have that protection in our new contract.

I didn't hear about that actually.

 

[MisterPenguin]

There isn’t much info because you already have it. We the CMs if WDW gained in this contract. In addition to pay increases, tax cut bonus, and expanded bereavement leave, we also gained 5 paid days off in the event of another closure due to hurricanes, etc. Remember last year after Hurricane Irma when Disney was refusing to pay union Cast after being closed for two days while paying nonunion Cast. We now have that protection in our new contract.

Well, this pretty much ensures that WDW won't close in the next direct hurricane hit.

 

[eddie104]

Again congrats to all the workers.

 

[larryz]

And that grinding noise you hear is Universal Studios' executives' teeth...

 

[GoofGoof]

Well deserved increase. It will make the ticket, food and hotel price increases more bearable for me knowing at least a decent portion is going back to front line workers who are making the experience special for everyone. Better to take care of the workers who keep the place running than spend it on more stock buybacks.

 

[WDWTrojan]

Looks like a noticeable bump up in pay through the ranks of hourly employees. $15 an hour is reasonable for a starting wage in a skillless job. Hate to say that but most of these jobs you can train anyone to do them pretty quickly.

Sorry but many of these are demanding, labor-intensive jobs - many of which have your safety in their immediate control.

 

[MisterPenguin]

As much as I would like to defend and commend WDW, this comes in a really hot labor market with historically low unemployment levels. WDW would have had to increase low-end wages anyway to keep labor in this market.

I'll commend WDW for a wage hike when unemployment is high and labor competition is relatively cheap.

 

[WDW862]

Looks like a noticeable bump up in pay through the ranks of hourly employees. $15 an hour is reasonable for a starting wage in a skillless job. Hate to say that but most of these jobs you can train anyone to do them pretty quickly.

The cost of living in Central Florida is skyrocketing and a decent portion of cast members live in poverty conditions. This is a much needed raise.

 

[GoofGoof]

As much as I would like to defend and commend WDW, this comes in a really hot labor market with historically low unemployment levels. WDW would have had to increase low-end wages anyway to keep labor in this market.

I'll commend WDW for a wage hike when unemployment is high and labor competition is relatively cheap.

Fair point, but the rational behind the decision isn’t really as important as the cash in the pockets of the people who definitely deserve it. I personally have no idea what the local employment market is like in the Orlando area. National unemployment statistics are not as relevant as what’s happening in the local market for a specific type of job so there really could be a labor shortage for these types of jobs or there may not be. Either way, It’s pretty difficult to put the genie back in the bottle so if the motivation reallly is a labor shortage if that trend reverses it will be difficult to go back to near minimum wage.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Fair point, but the rational behind the decision isn’t really as important as the cash in the pockets of the people who definitely deserve it. I personally have no idea what the local employment market is like in the Orlando area. National unemployment statistics are not as relevant as what’s happening in the local market for a specific type of job so there really could be a labor shortage for these types of jobs or there may not be. Either way, It’s pretty difficult to put the genie back in the bottle so if the motivation reallly is a labor shortage if that trend reverses it will be difficult to go back to near minimum wage.

True to what you said. However, minimum wage is at a historic low v. cost of living and inflation. Catching up to where it should have been isn't that laudable. Or being forced to do it through threat of strikes. Or was going to do it anyway to hang on to workers.

Other companies should take note.

https://www.citylab.com/life/2015/0...tween-minimum-wage-and-cost-of-living/404644/

 

[WDWTrojan]

Add

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True to what you said. However, minimum wage is at a historic low v. cost of living and inflation. Catching up to where it should have been isn't that laudable. Or being forced to do it through threat of strikes. Or was going to do it anyway to hang on to workers.

Other companies should take note.

https://www.citylab.com/life/2015/0...tween-minimum-wage-and-cost-of-living/404644/

Add this to the fact Disney is having trouble recruiting good talent in the area, particularly for less desirable front line roles.

 

[Tom P.]

Sorry but many of these are demanding, labor-intensive jobs - many of which have your safety in their immediate control.

Which doesn't change the fact that they are low skill jobs. That doesn't mean the people don't work hard or that their jobs don't deserve respect. But you don't need alot of special education, skills, etc. to be hired into those jobs. And, like it or not, when there is a large population of people who can potentially fill a job, it commands less money than a job fewer people are capable of doing.

 

[roj2323]

The one year to change jobs part is the only thing I'd gripe about. There's going to be a severe lack of OT as well but otherwise this is an excellent contract from what I know about it.

 

[WDWTrojan]

The one year to change jobs part is the only thing I'd gripe about. There's going to be a severe lack of OT as well but otherwise this is an excellent contract from what I know about it.

It used to be one year as the standard policy, but it was shortened to six months. Training costs Disney a good deal of money. OT will be tougher but cast members can always fill open untrained shifts (crowd control, etc) and can be trained at multiple roles within their area.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

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Add this to the fact Disney is having trouble recruiting good talent in the area, particularly for less desirable front line roles.

Definitely. When they're offering a $1,500 signing bonus for housekeepers and they're still not getting applicants, they've got a problem.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

It used to be one year as the standard policy, but it was shortened to six months. Training costs Disney a good deal of money. OT will be tougher but cast members can always fill open untrained shifts (crowd control, etc) and can be trained at multiple roles within their area.

When I worked in resorts half of the roles you could train in outside of your basic front desk position were considered "advanced" and had a premium attached to them. They were much more demanding computer and phone based back of house positions that a lot of people didn't want to do so once you were trained in them you did them almost exclusively. It was an easy way to get an almost permanent pay bump without having to work much overtime and when you DID work overtime (which wasn't hard to get) it was even nicer.

Honestly OT is really only hard to get in certain lines of business. A lot of food positions, pretty much all merchandise and many lodging positions are interchangeable no matter where you work so there's always open shifts and people can fill them easily. Sometimes the company puts limits on who can pick them up so people who would get straight time have the opportunity first but will open it up to OT if the shifts aren't getting filled.

I feel like the people who struggle with OT are things that require specific training like Attractions and certain entertainment roles. If you're not trained in that specific area, you can't pick it up. Even if attractions share similar positions (like a person at the entrance to check height requirement for example), if you're not trained on that attraction, you can't pick it up.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

And that grinding noise you hear is Universal Studios' executives' teeth...

The real question I have is: are they going to do an immediate bump to $15 or draw it out like Disney? IIRC when Disney agreed to raise base pay to $10/h over x years Universal went ahead and just started paying everybody $10 an hour. This was post Potter so they were definitely flush with cash. I wonder if they'll take the same route this time.

 

[larryz]

The real question I have is: are they going to do an immediate bump to $15 or draw it out like Disney? IIRC when Disney agreed to raise base pay to $10/h over x years Universal went ahead and just started paying everybody $10 an hour. This was post Potter so they were definitely flush with cash. I wonder if they'll take the same route this time.

Well, if you were drawing from the same labor pool as your "friendly" competition, how would YOU do it?