Cast Member Union Halts Contract Negotiations — “Disney Refused to Add Even One Cent to Its Wage Proposal”
Disney’s battle with unions representing thousands of Cast Members in Orlando is not over yet.
Cast Members!
Negotiations had been ongoing for quite some time since the Cast Member contracts expired back in October of 2022. Most recently, Cast Members took a vote on Disney’s contract offer, and it was rejected by a 96% margin. The unions and Disney came back to the bargaining table, and now we’ve got an update on that situation.
According to Spectrum News 13, no progress has been made on the negotiations between Disney World and the unions that represent thousands of Cast Members in the parks. Though the negotiations lasted around 9 hours when they “returned to the negotiating table Wednesday,” it seems an agreement could not be reached.
In a post shared on Twitter, Unite Here! Local 362 said that “[d]espite the overwhelming message sent by Cast Members, Disney refused to add even one cent to its wage proposal.”
TRON Cast Member in NEW Costume
They noted that instead, Disney’s most updated proposal “reduced retroactive pay for thousands of workers,” making the offer “even worse than the offer already rejected.”
The 6 unions that form the Services Trades Council will soon announce “public actions” that will “bring light to the plight of Cast Members struggling to survive the devastating increase in the cost of living.”
Statement on today’s bargaining with @WaltDisneyWorld management. #DisneyWorkersNeedaRaise pic.twitter.com/Hm6on3b5gF
— UNITE HERE! Local 362 (@UNITEHERE362) February 16, 2023
Previously, negotiations between Disney and the union leaders were set to take place on Wednesday, February 15th through Thursday, February 16th. According to Spectrum, however, a source indicated that union leaders would NOT be returning to negotiate with Disney on Thursday.
Disney World Cast Members aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad.
Previously, Disney had indicated their offer would provide:
- “25% of non-tipped STCU roles will reach $20 an hour wages in the first year of the contract.
- A third of union workers will see an hourly wage increase of 16% within the first year.
- Housekeeping and bus drivers will see wages increase to at least $20 per hour and culinary workers to $20 to 25 per hour, depending on the role.
- Retroactive pay dating back to October 2022 would be paid starting at a minimum $700 for employees working 40-hour weeks.
- Along with a pension, a new 401(k) option would be implemented.
- Eight weeks of paid child-bonding for eligible workers.”
(Obtained via the Orlando Business Journal.)
Cast Members
Back in early February, Disney shared a statement saying “Our strong offer provides more than 30,000 Cast Members a nearly 10% on average raise immediately, as well as retroactive increased pay in their paychecks, and we are disappointed that those increases are now delayed.”
But the unions representing many Disney workers had previously indicated that Disney’s offer, which proposed raises of “only $1 a year for most workers,” was not enough to address immediate concerns surrounding the increased cost of living. The unions previously demanded an immediate minimum wage of $18 per hour for all Cast Members they represent.
Cast Members
We will have to wait and see what happens next. For now, it appears a deal has not yet been reached so the terms of any eventual offer are still up for debate. Stay tuned for more news.
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The post Cast Member Union Halts Contract Negotiations -- “Disney Refused to Add Even One Cent to Its Wage Proposal” first appeared on the disney food blog.
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