Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Those starting wages are right around what I would expect for those positions. Again, not saying I agree or disagree with them but they are all entry level jobs.
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Workers want pay boost
- Thread starter Figaro928
- Start date
Those starting wages are right around what I would expect for those positions. Again, not saying I agree or disagree with them but they are all entry level jobs.
flynnibus
Premium Member
Yes, you need to be able to hold and keep a CDL (commerical drivers license).
School bus drivers in my county make 17.65/hr (+benefits)- but the job requirements and qualifications are more strict for school bus drivers.
Here's a (dated) story about how the DC Metro even tho it's paying jobs 50-100k.. even jobs paying 80+k starting salaries.. can't get enough qualified workers. - http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...g-salaries-metro-cant-fill-its-jobs/?page=all
There are jobs - but people are holding out for something they want to do.. vs focusing on their 'living wage'
For a closer to home reference.. Here's a story on bus drivers in the Lynx system (orlando's bus system), quoting their union drivers start at 14/hr and make up to 19/hr
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...20120418_1_lynx-officials-buses-union-drivers
Anyway you slice those numbers... Disney is a cheapskate.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
This is a trend that I see everywhere. At some point, the power in companies transferred to the HR department. They make company policy, stop management from promoting for fear of complaints from those that didn't get promoted and generally standing in the way of any personnel growth. In earlier times, the HR department worked for the management team. The BoD's set policy and HR needed to carry it out, but they had no vote other then to point out if management was going against company policy. There only job was to, ok, I'll say it, take care of the crap that management didn't want to get their hands dirty with. However that attitude, by management, was the catalyst in giving HR more power then they should have by leaps and bounds. I've seen companies where the HR department told the CEO how he was going to run the company. Just another example of corporate structure where the tail is constantly waging the dog.
Flynn, already answered the question, but to just reinforce, law requires that any vehicle that carries more then 12 (if I remember correctly) people requires a CDL License. A CDL is a regular drivers test on steroids. It usually relies heavily on Defensive Driving and a more complete detail knowledge of the rules of the road. Also is a road test that requires the type of vehicle you are trained to drive. Bus needs a bus. Truck needs a truck.
Not to say it never happens, but, you will find very few people with CDL's that ever exhibit road rage. It's an almost guaranteed way to lose the license. Tailgating can cause loss of it as well, and I'm talking about even in their own vehicle, not on duty. It's a safety move. That is why starting drivers at Disney are paid generally more than any of the regular blue collar workers. Still way to little. That is why there are so many retirees that go there to drive buses. They are no longer looking for huge salaries, just something that they perceive to be fun.
BTW, it may seem like fun, but hauling around loud, hyper people who think of you as their personal servant is worth twice the money. Bus drivers may get to sit all day, but there are times when they can't get out of the seats until nature stops calling and starts screaming.
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wogwog
Well-Known Member
Side note on WDW bus operators. Turnover is very rapid. It is a position offers a riders fee to cast who refer an applicant who is hired of several hundred dollars. A neighbor cast member here in Fla referred one and is due a check soon. Tells you your description of the working condition the drivers are under is sadly true.
FireChiefGoofy
Well-Known Member
I am currently a WDW bus driver. After almost two years with the company, I make $11.34 and hour. Starting pay was $10.90. Some days you may work 11.5 hours, some days it might only be 6 hours. Our union (Teamsters) has its negotiation session this coming Friday. This is the complete list of "take-aways" proposed by the company:
Take away all 6 sick days
Take away our guaranteed hours and bids lines and place CMs in "buckets"
Take away the Company requirement to provide you a Shop Steward when you are being questioned or disciplined by Management
Allow the Company to schedule non-consecutive days off
Allow the Company to discipline up to termination for calling in sick within 2 hours of your start time
Restrict medical leaves
Make it easier to convert a full time CM to a part time CM and take away all full time benefits
These are disgraceful for a company that just had a movie surpass $1,000,000,000!
I knew when I started working for WDW that I wasn't going to get rich. I have stated that in previous posts. I do however feel that we deserve better. And quite honestly, the guests do not make the experience any better. Just last night we had a guest punch out a window on a bus as it was pulling out of a load zone. People here criticize the trash in the park. Guess who is dropping the trash, you, the Guests. We try our best to give our best product everyday, however it is a two way street. Just look at this thread. 824 replies. Now look at the Cast Member appreciation thread. Only 422. I go to work everyday and perform my role to the best of my ability. If you don't want to listen to the safety message, or if you want to have your kids run up and down the aisle of a bus doing 50 MPH and wonder why they got hurt because you were too busy on your phone, don't come crying to me.
As for numbers, my total wages for last year were $25,739. For all of you that posted that us "takers" that work at WDW make out like bandits with the government are just wrong. I make too much to qualify for anything and my tax refund was $57. Yay! $57! I could actually fill my gas tank all the way in my eight year old car, to go to my one bedroom apartment, and watch my TV (no cable, just over the air). So when you are at Walmart stocking up on supplies after you arrive here in Orlando, I will be in front of you holding up the line price matching with every sales ad I can get my hands on, because that's what we have to do to survive.
One last thought, before you load up the family truckster and drive down from East Better Than You Township, New Jersey, or fly in from Elitist Valley, California, make it a point to say to yourself, "I'm going to thank those CMs that provide me with great service, a smile, and the magic that they were hired to do." Also, please leave the giant strollers at home. You can pick up another one at Walmart. You'll have plenty of time if you're in line behind me.
WE ARE PEOPLE, TOO.
Take away all 6 sick days
Take away our guaranteed hours and bids lines and place CMs in "buckets"
Take away the Company requirement to provide you a Shop Steward when you are being questioned or disciplined by Management
Allow the Company to schedule non-consecutive days off
Allow the Company to discipline up to termination for calling in sick within 2 hours of your start time
Restrict medical leaves
Make it easier to convert a full time CM to a part time CM and take away all full time benefits
These are disgraceful for a company that just had a movie surpass $1,000,000,000!
I knew when I started working for WDW that I wasn't going to get rich. I have stated that in previous posts. I do however feel that we deserve better. And quite honestly, the guests do not make the experience any better. Just last night we had a guest punch out a window on a bus as it was pulling out of a load zone. People here criticize the trash in the park. Guess who is dropping the trash, you, the Guests. We try our best to give our best product everyday, however it is a two way street. Just look at this thread. 824 replies. Now look at the Cast Member appreciation thread. Only 422. I go to work everyday and perform my role to the best of my ability. If you don't want to listen to the safety message, or if you want to have your kids run up and down the aisle of a bus doing 50 MPH and wonder why they got hurt because you were too busy on your phone, don't come crying to me.
As for numbers, my total wages for last year were $25,739. For all of you that posted that us "takers" that work at WDW make out like bandits with the government are just wrong. I make too much to qualify for anything and my tax refund was $57. Yay! $57! I could actually fill my gas tank all the way in my eight year old car, to go to my one bedroom apartment, and watch my TV (no cable, just over the air). So when you are at Walmart stocking up on supplies after you arrive here in Orlando, I will be in front of you holding up the line price matching with every sales ad I can get my hands on, because that's what we have to do to survive.
One last thought, before you load up the family truckster and drive down from East Better Than You Township, New Jersey, or fly in from Elitist Valley, California, make it a point to say to yourself, "I'm going to thank those CMs that provide me with great service, a smile, and the magic that they were hired to do." Also, please leave the giant strollers at home. You can pick up another one at Walmart. You'll have plenty of time if you're in line behind me.
WE ARE PEOPLE, TOO.
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GoofGoof
Premium Member
I hope the negotiations go well for you and your union. It's really disgraceful considering Disney has raised prices twice now in the last 12 months. I wouldn't have as much of a problem with the price increases if at least some of that went back to the CMs and the people that make WDW work, but it sounds like thats not happening.
FireChiefGoofy
Well-Known Member
I certainly hope they do. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the negotiating session due to my services being needed to transport guests from resorts to DAK. Increases twice in a year is not fair for the family that is trying to save everything to come on what may possibly be their one and only WDW trip.
I just hope that this thread can get back on topic. Forty-two pages of bickering back and forth about raising the minimum wage and what the people that make that wage should or should not own. Of course I will be looked down upon as I am one of those WDW CMs that dares to have a car AND internet (which we need to access our work schedules).
If anyone has ever taken a ride on my bus, you will know that I am one of the few drivers that likes to interact with the guests. We play trivia, sing, or just answer general questions. 98% of the other drivers will not do that. I like to put forth 110% when I arrive. Anyway, gotta run. These costumes aren't going to iron themselves.
BigThunderMatt
Well-Known Member
I would say it's more relative. Just like with ticket prices, Disney sets the standards. What incentive do Universal, Sea World or Busch Gardens have to pay more if Disney is paying those current rates and is the largest employer? If people are willing to work at Disney for said amount of money, the other parks know they don't have to offer anything higher because those people that Disney turns away (which are few but it does happen) will take a job for the same rate elsewhere.
Only if Disney were to raise the rates would the rates go up in general.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
Holy
Methinks Disney needs a STRIKE - with Teamsters refusing to deliver to any of TWDC's operations, That would include UPS by the way.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
Remember TDO sets the benchmark for the area - so with Disney salaries being artificially low it will drive down the comparables as well.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
I'm sure that you realize that many of the items listed are there for the express purpose of agreeing to not do them. That gives the false impression that management has conceded many points, but they will stick to the ones that they actually want. It's up to the union to negotiate those lost leaders out immediately and then stand firm on the remaining ones. Hopefully they will have wiggle room in many of them. Considering the nature of the business, I doubt that pay will be significantly changed, but sick days (really?). Having been in the position of having to schedule only 100 drivers to cover runs it is hard to do if everyone expects that there will be consecutive days off always. It just doesn't work that way. It's much more complex then that, but, it is understandable that many would like to have that perk. It seems that based on the other reports that they are having difficulty recruiting licensed drivers now, cutting large groups out of full time to part time would magnify that situation exponentially. If they had lines of licensed individual begging to be hired, that might work, but it doesn't appear to be the case.
It seems to me that if the union realized that you have Disney by the, well you know, they really aren't in a position to be to insistent. Without the buses running they have no resort. The only leverage that they have is governmental intervention based on the thought that it is a crucial need and therefore cannot really strike. It would be a colossal situation if all of a sudden there was no transportation at WDW, even for a day, so it wouldn't surprise me if they have a group of politicians in their back pocket and can get that ruling enacted. The process can get nasty and usually does. The old company that I once worked for is currently ready to go out on strike on Monday (tomorrow) effectively shutting down mass transit for an entire city. The company has suggested binding arbitration but the union has rejected it. Whatever happens the relationship between drivers and management will never be the same again. Any leeway given a driver will no longer exist and the tension will never let up, no matter who wins. There are no winners when it gets to that point. These guys make close to $30.00 to start. Money isn't the issue.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
You have just explained the reasons why there should be no federal minimum wage legislation at all.
If a state wants it, let them do it. Many have already.
Plus, it's much easier for a state to gauge a rate that's best for them, and make adjustments according to the local pressures and opportunities available.
Pretty hard to do that staring strictly at BLS data from the cold marble halls of DC.
I'm all for states or regions having a higher minimum wage than the federal, based on what they perceive their citizens need. But to have no federal minimum wage at all means you risk certain states opting to reduce or eliminate it entirely because Capitalism. There are people on this very site who have no regard for people who do menial entry-level jobs, you think some of the politicians who are fighting tooth and nail against an increase in M.W. wouldn't eliminate it entirely given the chance?
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
Having been a manager for the airline which used to stick a double A in everything, AA started out labor negotiations really MEANING to get similar lists of givebacks as I suppose Disney does as well. AA almost went under after 9/11 after demanding and receiving 200M of pay reductions from the flight attendants supposedly it was needed for operations - what actually happened was that money was transferred to the C-level executive pension fund Which triggered union action which got Don Carty and his henchmen tossed. (I had bailed out a couple years before that)
AA had the worst labor relations of all airlines and it looks like Disney is shooting for that same level of labor relations and is counting on political backing to make their new contract stick if the transportation CM's go out on strike. If you recall there was a small strike last year in Mousekeeping.
Disney's lists of demands are clearly unreasonable, However I think they really want each and every one of them and I think a major strike is just what's needed for Wall St and the financial press to take a really objective look at Disney's operations.
Disney could have simply done a default contract with no pay increases and no labor rules changes and the 'Street would have liked it the Union would not have but they probably would have accepted it.
Instead Disney goes medieval on the contract as I've said before Disney DOES NOT act like a company with record profits. They act like a company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.
I think Disney is A) trying to break the union by forcing a strike or B) something IS really wrong with the finances and they NEED the givebacks
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The Crafty Veteran
Active Member
Is this serious? To think Disney controls the pay standard of the other parks in the area is completely ridiculous. Have you looked at your local rate of pay for hospitality jobs? In my area its no different than what Disney starts at. Its not Disney, its the industry.
People need to stop passing blame and making excuses.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
It's why I say THANK YOU after riding in the Disney buses, I don't ride them often as usually had a car when at WDW in the past, But would it really hurt the average guest to say thank you?
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
I know this is going to sound weird, but, that's never stopped me before, so... I liked it when people said thank you, but, I couldn't always respond back. In many of my situations I had to count how many people go off at certain stops and record them. If I had a large group get off the bus at the same time and the all said Thank You, I felt that it was only polite to say Your Very Welcome and then I would lose count and then had to make guesses about the numbers.
One of the reasons that I don't trust head count totals ever. 
To be honest, the most thank you's I ever heard were from our High School Bus Runs. The adults, well you were lucky if they didn't throw things at you. (an exaggeration there, but, you get my meaning.)
The Crafty Veteran
Active Member
Doing some simple online research and making a few phone calls, hospitality jobs in the three biggest cities, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, for entry level housekeeping at name hotels and resorts average around 9 dollars an hour. Does Disney control those pay rates as well?
For those that might not know, under NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc., any union employee has the right to union representation at any questioning/investigation by the employer (known as Weingarten Rights). If the employer refuses, they must stop the questioning. If they continue questioning, they are in violation of the law. If they terminate the employee as a result, they are in violation of the law.
It's not clear to me, in the above, if Disney automatically included a union representative without the employee requesting one (though that's what I understand the above statement to mean). It seems inoccuous, after all, an employee can ask for one on his own. But it's a little shady on Disney's part (i.e., are those that request a representative going to be more likely to be punished/fired? after all is said and done).
Good luck though. Ho[pefully your union doesn't cave in to these demands.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
I know this is going to sound weird, but, that's never stopped me before, so... I liked it when people said thank you, but, I couldn't always respond back. In many of my situations I had to count how many people go off at certain stops and record them. If I had a large group get off the bus at the same time and the all said Thank You, I felt that it was only polite to say Your Very Welcome and then I would lose count and then had to make guesses about the numbers.One of the reasons that I don't trust head count totals ever.
To be honest, the most thank you's I ever heard were from our High School Bus Runs. The adults, well you were lucky if they didn't throw things at you. (an exaggeration there, but, you get my meaning.)
I don't expect a response from the bus driver as I know he has to count the pax but it would be a better world if people simply made small gestures of appreciation periodically.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
With the massive immigrant population in these cities I'm surprised the rates are not lower and I'm sure many are paid lower with shady labor contractors paying 2-6 hr to 'undocumented' workers. A more meaningful comparison would be resort towns on the southern atlantic coast.