WeAreDisney.info offers personal stories from cast members as well as data about wages, benefits and other issues the unions see as important in ongoing negotiations with Disney.
From the press release:
WeAreDisney.info takes you behind the scenes to meet those who work so hard to make millions of visitors' dreams come true every year. Featuring profiles of Disney workers, also known as Cast Members, the site details their struggles to support themselves and their families.The site also features the recently released study, "Walt Disney World's Hidden Costs: The Impact of Disney's Wage Structure on the Greater Orlando Area." The study shows that deteriorating wages at Walt Disney World led to an economic loss of $23.4 million to the greater Orlando economy in 2006.
The main contract, covering about 21,000 Disney cast members, expires April 28.
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My $.02: I am a former Walt Disney World cast member and a progressive who thinks that union representation is essential in building and maintaining a strong middle class in society. I also believe that paying your employees a wage that allows them to support themselves and at least one dependent is key in not only attracting highly qualified employees, but also reducing employee turnover, minimizing training costs and improving customer experience.
Also, Econ 101 says that a company's labor costs have next to zilch effect on consumer prices. *Those* are determined by what the market will bear. If a company's raking it in at the box office, union representation's the best way to ensure that a bigger chunk of the revenue goes to the workers, and not to executives.
A bone to the other side: Smart union leaders negotiate over money and benefits. That's it. Don't try to usurp management's job. Let management be flexible about job definitions, assignments and duties, in exchange for more cash.
Okay, that was more than two cents' worth. But I wanted to get it out there to pre-empt any knee-jerk, dittohead responses bashing unions.
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This whole, well it sucks to be me so it should suck to be you mentality by the general public is exactly the kind of attitude that corporations count on when their employees dare to have the audacity to ask for living wages or God forbid affordable health care.
We all pay good sums of money to go to Disney parks. We expect Disney, not an outfit that is not Disney cast members. Contracting out work can affect more than quality, it can also affect personal safety. These contracted out employees may not have the same backround checks or quality control as Disney. Lets keep Disney quality. Disney make huge profits off the parks, I don't mind that, it is the most value for your dollar for any vacation. However, the quality will not last, and the "magic" will not be there. Long time patrons are noticing.
Look, the fact of the matter is this. I want Disney to provide higher than living wages. I want Disney to provide affordable health care and to stop outsourcing. I want Disney to treat its employees better. Why? Because it will attract a higher caliber of person who will be motivated to provide the kind of "magic" that people love Disney for. They will have more of an investment in the company because they realize the company cares about its employees. Is it any wonder that Disney has been having problems filling cast member positions?
With the ever rising costs of park tickets and Disney rolling in the profits, I see nothing wrong with reinvesting some of that windfall back into the Disney work force. You know. The people you come into contact with on a daily basis when at the parks. You know. The people who are there to ensure the attractions run smoothly and safely and that your room is properly cleaned and that deal with whatever cranky guests throw at them with a smile and who, God bless 'em, entertain guests while wearing some awful, heavy, smelly, hot costume so people can get their bit of "magic."
The amazing thing to me is that the people who cry foul whenever cast members ask to have their reasonable needs addressed are also the same people who complain that the cast members aren't what they used to be.
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