Disney World employee labor unions have been in negotiations with The Walt Disney Company over issues like wage increases, benefits, and more.
Minnie with some Cast Members!
Recently, several of these unions gathered to hold a rally over the negotiations, and now, Disney has released a statement on the matter.
The Walt Disney Company and several Disney World employee labor unions are at odds — employees are calling for improvements to wages, benefits, retirement, child bonding leave, and more. The prior contract that brought a $15 minimum wage to workers expired on October 1st, and Disney and the unions have been in negotiations to work out an agreement.
©Disney
The negotiations come after a recent Securities and Exchanges Commission filing indicating Disney “planned to spend $6.7 billion in the 2023 fiscal year on capital expenditures for its Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products divisions.” However, Disney notes that labor expenses are typically covered under operating costs instead of capital expenditures.
©Disney | Walt Disney Company Headquarters
Member unions are pushing for Disney to raise its minimum wage to $18 per hour, and raise the pay of those who already make close to that amount by $3 per hour to keep up with inflation and higher costs of living. According to a recent report from the Orlando Business Journal, the city of Orlando ranks among the worst in the nation for affordability.
Message is clear:
FAIR CONTRACT NOW#DisneyWorkersNeedARaise pic.twitter.com/ItMifPLTd8
— UNITE HERE! Local 362 (@UNITEHERE362) December 1, 2022
And now, after several Disney World employees and union members rallied together on November 30th to show support of their demands, representing almost 42,000 employees and Cast Members overall — Disney has released a statement about the union requests:
“We have presented a strong and meaningful offer that far outpaces Florida minimum wage by at least $5 an hour and immediately takes starting wages for certain roles including bus drivers, housekeepers and culinary up to a minimum of $20 an hour while providing a path to $20 for all other full-time, non-tipped STCU roles during the contract term.”
Walt Disney Company Headquarters ©LA Times
The spokesperson also shared that the proposal also “provides paid child-bonding time for eligible Cast Members” and mentioned the Disney Aspire program “that pays 100% of tuition up front for eligible hourly employees.”
©Orlando Sentinel
However, employees say this isn’t soon enough as historically high inflation and housing costs are affecting them now. The Orlando Sentinel shared a report from Unite Here Local 737 — one of the labor unions — that a majority of the hospitality staff it represents “struggled to afford basic necessities making a median of $16.50 an hour, or $34,320 annually,” including Disney World employees.
©Orlando Sentinel
Negotiations are still taking place, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest updates regarding Disney World Cast Member union news and more.
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Here’s what it comes down to, if cast members were making minimum wage, their pay almost doubled to $15/hour. Those who were already making $15/hour got a 75 cent raise, regardless of education, specialized training, and longevity with the company. They are making little more than new hires, plus their park access will be blacked out or severely limited until about mid January and was for a great deal of the last year because of guest crowds. Most departments are grossly understaffed so cast members are over worked, underpaid, feeling unappreciated, and leaving.
Unions are in business to get more people to join. They just a well regulated pyramid scheme. Thry work for themselves not the welfare of the employees.
I sincerely hope that an agreement is met and that all employees will be a 20.00 per hour as soon as possible. often contracts have build in yearly increases but not all. Given the cost of housing and transportation to and from work the federal government is lagging behind in the min wage issue it should be 20.00 per hour to start. Money earned is money spent which grows the economy. I will admit that it can be a shift to jump all at once for companies but Disney is known for its forward and creative thinking. As a fan and resort guest more and more is being self serve and technology is filling in cast members are still and should remain the greatest asset of this awesome company. working together they should be able to make start wage at 20.00. while stock profits are up and down and profits matter so does the long term Mickey is not just some cartoon on a screen he is alive in the cast members.
Force the executives to live on the wages they pay their employees and see how fast they settle.
Come on Disney. You can afford to pay your workers a living wage and provide affordable healthcare.