When will the contract extension expire for Disney Employees?

[RivShore]

A living wage, as in a wage you can actually live off of without assistance, in Orange county for a single adult is considered $18.85/hr

So here's something we may agree on - if an employer is paying a full time employee a wage that still qualifies the employee for government assistance (single, not family), that should not be allowed. That is not the free market at work, that is a company using/abusing the government to subsidize their wages.

Hopefully the contract gets settled soon, they are not that far off and if $19 allows you to live ok in central FL, then with a room mate or spouse also working, you might be ok with a little less.

I always hate this argument. 'Low skill jobs' is just a fancy way to say you think their work is worth less then someone sitting in an office putting in the same 40 hours of work a week.

This is simply my economic supply/demand view - a job which requires little specialization can be done by many many more people, with minimal training, than other skilled trade jobs or desk jobs. Now, it seems that we may be reaching a point where that large labor pool is actually shrinking, and if so, the supply/demand magic should force wages up naturally.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

So here's something we may agree on - if an employer is paying a full time employee a wage that still qualifies the employee for government assistance (single, not family), that should not be allowed.

Of course, if the government keeps raising the maximum amount that qualifies for aid, and then forces businesses to raise wages above that, it would be creating an inflationary spiral.

 

[monica9]

The math on living in Central Florida suggests that a single-family home needs a full-time salaried income of $25-$26 per hour to meet essential needs.

Unfortunately that’s everywhere. I’m curious to see what Connecticut says

 

[monica9]

sounds like the hospital needs a negotiation as well…

Trying unfortunately a lot of us don’t have anyone to back us up because we aren’t union

 

[monica9]

There is a labor supply issue in central FL, with extremely low unemployment, and they have had trouble filling positions at current rates. Also, living here, I can confirm that cost for housing is not that different from the suburban northeast. Houses cost a bit less for similar and property taxes are less but the increased cost of insurance wipes a chunk of that out.
That being said, for the most part it seems these are low skilled entry level jobs, there has to be a point where the wage is out of line with the service provided. You can easily see where this goes - Disney will automate jobs away; push more on us, the customers, like they have with self checkin/out at hotels; reduce cleaning; and increase prices. This will lead to less visitors, which will lead to less labor needed, which will lead to layoffs. Maybe all that happens anyway but a higher starting wage will certainly accelerate it.

I agree 100%

 

[RivShore]

Of course, if the government keeps raising the maximum amount that qualifies for aid, and then forces businesses to raise wages above that, it would be creating an inflationary spiral.

Yes, my idea would require the government to act rationally and logically...so you can toss that idea out the window.

 

[monica9]

Unfortunately that’s everywhere. I’m curious to see what Connecticut says

I just looked up ct. for 2 adults working 2 children is $28 per hour. It’s just getting so expensive everywhere to live. Is it because we are giving so much to unemployed people? Too much overseas? Where are we going wrong?

 

[AvidDisReader]

Disney is not responsible to pay someone a liveable wage. Blunt but true, they are responsible to pay a wage that is in their best interest to run their business. The Union is not responsible for worrying that Disney makes a profit or has to raise ticket prices. Their responsible for doing what is in the best interest on the Union workers. That is the crux of all contract negotiations.

 

[StageTek]

I always hate this argument. 'Low skill jobs' is just a fancy way to say you think their work is worth less then someone sitting in an office putting in the same 40 hours of work a week.

Unskilled labor is a term that designates the difference between jobs that require no special training from jobs that require special training or licenses. Not the worth of the work or the worth of a person doing the work.

Unskilled labor can generally be learned on the job - housekeeping, cashier, security guard, ride operators, ushers, receptionist food service. The individuals doing these jobs well are often quite skilled - the job itself can be learned on the job in several days.

Jobs that need special skills are typically paid more because the individuals need longer training and/or a license to perform the job.

The jobs covered by the Service Trades Council Union are those considered "unskilled" - not because their work is worth less than someone else doing a different job.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Make that his and our money...


Have you not been to a Target, Walmart or supermarket in the last few years? They have gone from a dozen or more manned registers to self checkout and one or two manned registers.

So true! We just experienced this-the side effect of raising wages.

 

[xipotec]

I just looked up ct. for 2 adults working 2 children is $28 per hour. It’s just getting so expensive everywhere to live. Is it because we are giving so much to unemployed people? Too much overseas? Where are we going wrong?

its greed, pure and simple.

Watch for earnings reports for the past year, while all of us are paying “inflationary” prices….companies are raking it in , posting huge profits, and offering stock buy backs…

 

[xipotec]

Unskilled labor is a term that designates the difference between jobs that require no special training from jobs that require special training or licenses. Not the worth of the work or the worth of a person doing the work.

Unskilled labor can generally be learned on the job - housekeeping, cashier, security guard, ride operators, ushers, receptionist food service. The individuals doing these jobs well are often quite skilled - the job itself can be learned on the job in several days.

Jobs that need special skills are typically paid more because the individuals need longer training and/or a license to perform the job.

The jobs covered by the Service Trades Council Union are those considered "unskilled" - not because their work is worth less than someone else doing a different job.

While this definition is true, it ignores the fact that minimum wage has not moved in over 20 years…..

While inflation has all goods way higher than 1985 levels, which affects all products and services.

Without addressing the real issue here, unskilled labor deserves a wage that keeps up with inflation at the very least….

Eventually if inflation keeps soaring, you would have a situation where minimum wage would be the same and a carton of eggs would cost more than an hour of your life……

oh wait……..

 

[RivShore]

unskilled labor deserves a wage that keeps up with inflation at the very least….

I agree and blame the feds for not building in an annual inflation increase, initially. And it should have been regionally adjusted too - NY having the same minimum as Alabama for years was just crazy. Now, on the plus side, many states have increased their own minimums to take the regional impact into account. And the free market has taken care of the inflation side - the 2000 minimum wage would be less than $11 in today's dollars and there are very few states paying that low a starting wage whether mandated or not.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

While this definition is true, it ignores the fact that minimum wage has not moved in over 20 years…..

While inflation has all goods way higher than 1985 levels, which affects all products and services.

Without addressing the real issue here, unskilled labor deserves a wage that keeps up with inflation at the very least….

Eventually if inflation keeps soaring, you would have a situation where minimum wage would be the same and a carton of eggs would cost more than an hour of your life……

oh wait……..

The minimum wage hasn’t gone up, but starting wages did. Almost like you didn’t really need a minimum wage increase.
And of course real wages were rising for a few years, a few years ago.

 

[New Mouse]

Disney is not responsible to pay someone a liveable wage. Blunt but true, they are responsible to pay a wage that is in their best interest to run their business. The Union is not responsible for worrying that Disney makes a profit or has to raise ticket prices. Their responsible for doing what is in the best interest on the Union workers. That is the crux of all contract negotiations.

But they aren't running their business successfully they are running it into.the ground.

 

[Madteaparty001]

Have you not been to a Target, Walmart or supermarket in the last few years? They have gone from a dozen or more manned registers to self checkout and one or two manned registers.

Have you not seen the news about rampant thefts at the self checkouts? Swapping out stickers and returning things swiped with fruit labels that have then been removed? They had to invest in even more technology for the scanner to recognize items based on shape and color vs. barcode. Wages that are too low to live on breeds poverty, poverty breeds crime, crime hurts the bottom line. A lot of stores are talking about strategic closures because the theft outweighs the profit in some areas.

This is simply my economic supply/demand view - a job which requires little specialization can be done by many many more people, with minimal training, than other skilled trade jobs or desk jobs. Now, it seems that we may be reaching a point where that large labor pool is actually shrinking, and if so, the supply/demand magic should force wages up naturally.

Customer facing jobs are not low skill because they're not just putting numbers into the register, they're also handling the customer, this is considered a soft skill but it's a skill non the less. The industry has high turn over and high burn out for a reason, and it's not because the job is too easy. Society needs to rethink how we view these jobs because the pandemic proved that some of those that made the least were needed the most.

Disney is not responsible to pay someone a liveable wage. Blunt but true, they are responsible to pay a wage that is in their best interest to run their business. The Union is not responsible for worrying that Disney makes a profit or has to raise ticket prices. Their responsible for doing what is in the best interest on the Union workers. That is the crux of all contract negotiations.

Then workers are not responsible for choosing not to work there or preparing to strike, blunt but true. You want staff to care again and the parks to be able to run at full capacity, pay the workers more.

Unskilled labor is a term that designates the difference between jobs that require no special training from jobs that require special training or licenses. Not the worth of the work or the worth of a person doing the work.

Unskilled labor can generally be learned on the job - housekeeping, cashier, security guard, ride operators, ushers, receptionist food service. The individuals doing these jobs well are often quite skilled - the job itself can be learned on the job in several days.

Jobs that need special skills are typically paid more because the individuals need longer training and/or a license to perform the job.

The jobs covered by the Service Trades Council Union are those considered "unskilled" - not because their work is worth less than someone else doing a different job.

"Unskilled labor" is a term that has been used to justify low wages for ages. I honestly don't think any job is unskilled because I think we define skills poorly. Working comes at cost whether it be physical, mental, time consuming, upfront investment in a degree, etc. If you put in 40 hours of work a week you should be able to afford to live in the city in which you work, this is not a radical idea, it's good economics.

So true! We just experienced this-the side effect of raising wages.

This is not because of rising wages, this is corporate greed. Companies are making record profits right now, that's money made after expenses. They can afford to pay their employees more.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Disney really should increase pay a little according to years of service to reward those that have proven they can handle customer facing positions. Maybe $0.05 an hour for each year of service completed, so those that have been there more than 10 years get $0.50/hour more than CM’s that started yesterday.

 

[Madteaparty001]

Disney really should increase pay a little according to years of service to reward those that have proven they can handle customer facing positions. Maybe $0.05 an hour for each year of service completed, so those that have been there more than 10 years get $0.50/hour more than CM’s that started yesterday.

Is this a joke? It has to be a joke. At 10 years that's a measly extra $1040 per year before taxes. That's the cost of one expensive car repair. When DH worked for a company that did yearly bonuses one year he received 10k for really good work, on top of a good salary and yearly raise after working there only 3 years. What a slap in the face that would be to cast members, $1040 spread out over the year for 10 years worth of loyalty? Pathetic.

You want to know what good pay looks like based on years worked and loyalty? Look at Costco.

 

[MillauFr]

Trying unfortunately a lot of us don’t have anyone to back us up because we aren’t union

You should organize one. Easier said than done though.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Is this a joke? It has to be a joke. At 10 years that's a measly extra $1040 per year before taxes. That's the cost of one expensive car repair. When DH worked for a company that did yearly bonuses one year he received 10k for really good work, on top of a good salary and yearly raise after working there only 3 years. What a slap in the face that would be to cast members, $1040 spread out over the year for 10 years worth of loyalty? Pathetic.

You want to know what good pay looks like based on years worked and loyalty? Look at Costco.

Well considering now the person that’s been doing the job for 10 years gets the same pay as someone who just started, no it’s not a joke.