Disney Gearing up for Summer

[Sarangel]

Looks like the Summer season will get some extended hours, after all. This is from the Orlando Business Journal:

Walt Disney World has put out its seasonal call for summer workers in the resort's theme parks, hotels and water parks.

The tourist destination is gearing up for heavy summer attendance and extended operating hours. The jobs are designed to appeal to students out of school for the summer and others in need of seasonal work.

According to a release issued by the entertainment giant, hiring will take place over the next two months and involves part-time and full-time work in a variety of categories from parade performers to dishwashing jobs. Starting pay is between $6.35 an $6.85.

Good thing most seasonal workers use the job to suppliment their income, rather than having to live on it!

Sarangel

 

[Dznefreek]

Yet they just cut the hours of 4000 plumbers, electricians, etc.

 

[Ex-Imagineer]

Who needs plumbers or electricians... If a toilet backs up or heaven forbid a light burning out, they could just put it on their rehab list and fix the problem in a year or so. Oops did I say that outloud.

 

[Sarangel]

Speaking of Plumbers & Electricians, The Orlando Sentinel ran the following story yesterday:

Walt Disney World has signed an agreement with the union leader of its 4,000 skilled workers that formalizes the company's right to cut back full-time employees' schedules in lieu of layoffs.

Further, the agreement extends the Craft Maintenance Council's current contract and provides for a 3 percent raise beginning next October.

"The spirit of the letter of understanding is to preserve full-time jobs and maximize hours worked for employees in the Craft Maintenance Council bargaining unit," states the accord, signed by Jerry Montgomery, Disney World vice president of employee relations and casting.

Behind-the-scenes maintenance workers such as plumbers and electricians are called "cast members" at Disney's theme parks and resorts.

The skilled workers earn among the attraction's highest hourly wages, except for veteran entertainers. For example, a drapery/upholstery specialist earns $16.55 an hour after four years.

The agreement, signed by Montgomery and Ed Sullivan, a union official based in Washington, D.C., formalizes a policy that Disney World instituted following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Soon after that, Disney World began cutting back the schedules of most of the attraction's 40,000 hourly employees. But some members of the Crafts Maintenance Council objected that the reductions violate the benefits of seniority as stated in their contract.

That contract, which had been scheduled to expire next October, is extended for one year by the letter of agreement, dated March 13.

Although the pact contains Disney World's promise to try avoiding reduced schedules, it doesn't make any guarantees.

Before slicing into full timers' hours, the agreement states, part-time skilled jobs will be eliminated.

Even so, the accord cautions " . . . that if it is necessary to reduce hours below the 32-per-week threshold, then the company will meet and discuss with the CMC the possibility of layoffs."

Sounds to me like they're trying not to make any more cutbacks than necessary. Also, please note that these people make almost three times what the Seasonal employees make...

Sarangel

 

[KNWVIKING]

"For example, a drapery/upholstery specialist earns $16.55 an hour after four years."

In Florida terms, is this considered a good wage ?

" The skilled workers earn among the attraction's highest hourly wages, "

What would this skilled worker earn outside of Disney ? What does a union electrician/plumber make ? Wages just seem very low.

 

[mitros]

Yes,wages are very low here in Florida. The people that do well here are the rich retirees from up north. The average wage earner struggles to make ends meet. Because of Florida being a "right to work" state, a person can be fired at the drop of a hat. The only ones that are a little more secure in their positions are government workers. . And it is not all that much cheaper to live in Florida!

 

[cristen]

Yes, I think 16.55 an hour in Florida is good money. & is very cheap to buy a house in Florida. The houses here in Colorado that go for 300,000 are going for 160,000 in the Orlando area. So it is all relative. People here are making 16.55 & are happy about it, but have to pay between 240,000 and 300,000 for a house. So to me to go to Florida and make 16.55 and get a house 140,000 cheaper. I'd say I was robbin' someone!

 

[manning]

Never fear there will be a plunger and light bulb in every room.

 

[mitros]

There is a little bit of a fallacy regarding the comparing of the price of houses in Florida and "up north" The 140,000 dollar house does not have a basement or an attic. You can't put basements in most Florida houses because of the water tables. Wherever you can, you can add another 20 ,000 dollars to the cost. And a second floor is also not included in that 140,000 dollar price. Add another 20 to 30 thousand for that. So, while in some areas of florida it is cheaper to live, it's not that much cheaper when you factor in the lower wages. When you move to florida, you give up a lot of your storage space. And if you want decent size rooms, you have to spend even more.

 

[Gillian]

I still think Florida homes cost less.

Here is what you can get for 200,000 in a town near me. It's not a hot area. It's close to the city of Trenton, in central NJ. In towns that are more desirable you can't get a single family home for under 200k. You'll be lucky to get a 2-3 Br townhouse for that price, without a garage or basement. A 3 BR single family home in those towns would start at at least 325k, for a 30-40 year old colonial.

http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1023103085?lnksrc=00045

Closer to Princeton but not in Princeton (which is still cheaper than northern NJ) here's what $320,000 gets you:

http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1025848639

 

[KNWVIKING]

And let's not forget about those wonderful Jersey property tax rates, as well as income & sales tax. Throw in our car insurance rates and that $16.55 per hour starts looking better and better.

 

[cristen]

I agree with Gillian. Again the houses here are so expensive. I was thinking of moving to Florida just to be near WDW, so I was on Realtor.com all the time. I was putting what my house was price wise & getting a house there with 1-2 more bedrooms, 500 more square feet, some with swimming pools. Definately more yard, we don't get yards here in Colorado anymore. And it doesn't matter if you have a basement or not, if you don't have an extra 20-30,000 to finish it, it is useless to you. But you're right the wages there are much lower. & yes, the property taxes here & state taxes here are very high. & I won't go into how much food costs here! Too bad there are so many bugs there.

 

[Gillian]

I forgot about no state income tax in Florida!

NJ does have its charms (really!) but I can't believe that it costs the same to live here as it does it in Florida. We also have unemployment isssues, and when you get laid off but still have a 300k mortgage, moving somewhere with a lower cost of living is appealing.

About the plumber/electrician thing, I'll have to ask my BIL.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Disney to hire 2,000 workers

Walt Disney World has put out its seasonal call for summer workers in the resort's theme parks, hotels and water parks.

The tourist destination is gearing up for heavy summer attendance and extended operating hours. The jobs are designed to appeal to students out of school for the summer and others in need of seasonal work.

According to a release issued by the entertainment giant, hiring will take place over the next two months and involves part-time and full-time work in a variety of categories from parade performers to dishwashing jobs. Starting pay is between $6.35 an $6.85.

 

[Luv2Roam]

There were a few FL job openings at DH's place of employment. Had it been a year later, and we weren't in the middle of remodeling, we would have seriously considered moving again. (We moved from IN to NE just over 7 years ago
The NE property taxes are TOO HIGH.
In IN the taxes were low. Here they are high.
Our last house in IN was on just over two acres in the country (1961 ranch.) Less than $400 a year in property taxes.
here -- we live surrounded by city (so still in the *country* although we are in a housing division).
Our house is approx 17 years old, worth a little more (nothing drastic). Our yearly property taxes -- over $3,000!
And our vehicle tax is high too, although just a TAD under IN.)
DON'T move to NE is all I can say. I can see the taxes driving us out of this state.
The roads are in much better shape than IN. But geez.... It's mostly schools we are paying through the nose for.
This reminds me a little of IN vs MI. As a rule of thumb, the houses were cheaper in MI, because property taxes were higher. In IN the houses cost more, but taxes were lower.

 

[HorizonsFan]

$6.35 - $6.85 an hour. Woo Who. Lets go

What should an unskilled, seasonal worker be paid?

 

[primax]

NJ is so expensive it is not even funny.

Full Coverage auto $1500 - $3000.

Rancher - $160,000 - $300,000.

Property Tax - $3000 - $7000.

Living with the Meanest People in the country - Priceless

 

[BRERALEX]

Living with the Meanest People in the country - Priceless

AMEN praise be the lord amen.

 

[mitros]

Yea, Well those disney chickens must be happy that now they are not loosing as many of their fingers as they did before thanks to uncle Eisner . Cluck Cluckity Cluck!

 

[KNWVIKING]

"Our house is approx 17 years old, worth a little more (nothing drastic). Our yearly property taxes -- over $3,000! "

I live in SOUTH Jersey- read:the poor half of the state- in an 1800 sq foot rancher on a 125' x 179' lot. 2003 estimated tax bill: $3987.00.


" Full Coverage auto $1500 - $3000."

Gotta love Jersey's "no-fault" ins. We own one vehicle, goes less then 5000 miles per year. Two sons, in out-of-state colleges for all but a few weeks a year. Premium: $3828.00



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Living with the Meanest People in the country - Priceless
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Absolutely.