Greg K.
Happy DVC Member, DIS Vet, and Catholic Deacon
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From today's Orlando Sentinel...slightly off topic, but noteworthy, perhaps?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...jun09,0,3465543.story?coll=orl-home-headlines
Disney sales agents consider joining union
By Adrian G. Uribarri
Sentinel Staff Writer
June 9, 2005
For the second time in three years, thousands of Walt Disney World secretaries and reservation sales agents are voting on whether to join a union.
The employees, who rejected the measure in 2002, will cast the final votes today. If they unionize, the workers would fall under the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, which already represents about 1,000 Disney workers.
In June 2002, 79 percent of 3,337 employees voted against the union. About 3,400 secretaries and sales agents are eligible to participate in this election.
Union representatives said some workers are trying to organize because of an incentive program initiated by Disney after the last vote. They said the program, which includes an hourly sales quota, emphasizes revenue over customer service and has cost some employees their jobs.
"Last time I checked, an incentive isn't supposed to get you fired," said Jennifer Foster, who has worked as a Disney reservation sales agent for eight years.
But Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the incentive program has helped more workers than it has hurt.
"Ninety-five percent of our Disney Reservation Center cast are making more money in 2005 than they would have in the absence of an incentive system," Polak said. She added that, on average, those employees are making 30 percent more than they were in 2002.
Foster said that, as revenue has grown for the business unit, customer service has declined. "With a lot of the newer agents, if they're not making money on the call, they move on."
Other agents said they are evaluated on revenue, attendance and service quality, but if the first two are good, the last doesn't matter.
"People are in tears at those reservation centers," said Michael Brewer, executive secretary-treasurer of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners.
Under the incentive program, each reservation agent must fulfill an hourly sales quota. The amount changes monthly, and if someone falls under quota more than three months in a year, the agent is fired. The company gives bonuses to agents who exceed the quota.
Foster said she has received bonuses. But her pay, about $1,500 more annually than in 2002, "is not worth what I go through every day." She said she has to track her accounts to make sure another sales agent isn't taking her bookings.
Polak did not confirm individual wage figures. But she said that, although Disney has a good record of working with unions, this group would not benefit from joining the carpenters-and-joiners unit.
She said leadership at the union, which works primarily with trades people, would inadequately represent office and technical workers.
But Brewer maintained that, if the union measure passed, the new members would have autonomy. "They'd elect their own officers," he said. "They'd create their own bargaining committee."
About 36,000 Disney workers are covered by 19 unions, according to company records. If the union measure passes, office and technical workers would form the ninth union of the Craft Maintenance Council agreement, which covers various manual laborers and operating engineers.
Polak said Disney is allowing on-duty workers free time to vote and paying off-duty workers for as much as two hours of their time.
Copyright © 2005, Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...jun09,0,3465543.story?coll=orl-home-headlines
Disney sales agents consider joining union
By Adrian G. Uribarri
Sentinel Staff Writer
June 9, 2005
For the second time in three years, thousands of Walt Disney World secretaries and reservation sales agents are voting on whether to join a union.
The employees, who rejected the measure in 2002, will cast the final votes today. If they unionize, the workers would fall under the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, which already represents about 1,000 Disney workers.
In June 2002, 79 percent of 3,337 employees voted against the union. About 3,400 secretaries and sales agents are eligible to participate in this election.
Union representatives said some workers are trying to organize because of an incentive program initiated by Disney after the last vote. They said the program, which includes an hourly sales quota, emphasizes revenue over customer service and has cost some employees their jobs.
"Last time I checked, an incentive isn't supposed to get you fired," said Jennifer Foster, who has worked as a Disney reservation sales agent for eight years.
But Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the incentive program has helped more workers than it has hurt.
"Ninety-five percent of our Disney Reservation Center cast are making more money in 2005 than they would have in the absence of an incentive system," Polak said. She added that, on average, those employees are making 30 percent more than they were in 2002.
Foster said that, as revenue has grown for the business unit, customer service has declined. "With a lot of the newer agents, if they're not making money on the call, they move on."
Other agents said they are evaluated on revenue, attendance and service quality, but if the first two are good, the last doesn't matter.
"People are in tears at those reservation centers," said Michael Brewer, executive secretary-treasurer of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners.
Under the incentive program, each reservation agent must fulfill an hourly sales quota. The amount changes monthly, and if someone falls under quota more than three months in a year, the agent is fired. The company gives bonuses to agents who exceed the quota.
Foster said she has received bonuses. But her pay, about $1,500 more annually than in 2002, "is not worth what I go through every day." She said she has to track her accounts to make sure another sales agent isn't taking her bookings.
Polak did not confirm individual wage figures. But she said that, although Disney has a good record of working with unions, this group would not benefit from joining the carpenters-and-joiners unit.
She said leadership at the union, which works primarily with trades people, would inadequately represent office and technical workers.
But Brewer maintained that, if the union measure passed, the new members would have autonomy. "They'd elect their own officers," he said. "They'd create their own bargaining committee."
About 36,000 Disney workers are covered by 19 unions, according to company records. If the union measure passes, office and technical workers would form the ninth union of the Craft Maintenance Council agreement, which covers various manual laborers and operating engineers.
Polak said Disney is allowing on-duty workers free time to vote and paying off-duty workers for as much as two hours of their time.
Copyright © 2005, Orlando Sentinel
Half the CM's I heard that are voting for the union are doing it because they aren't making their incentives! I'm hoping it turns out for the better (NO UNION!). 
Sounds like Disney is trying to turn this into a high-pressure sales job, rather than a sales-and-service job. I think it would be better for us, the customers, to be able to get questions answered than to be subject to hurry-up-and-buy sales pressure.
