Amid reports of homelessness and food insecurity, 25,000 employees sue Disneyland for better pay

[DrQ]

Amid a huge lawsuit, concerns emerge about Disneyland’s employee pay

'Every time we get to the end of the month, I have to choose what bills to pay.'

www.sfgate.com

 

[geist1223]

Find another job if you do not like the pay or working conditions. While Disney might be under a moral obligation to pay their employees a higher wage I do not see a Legal Obligation. This situation is one reason there should be Legislation to limit a Company's/Corporation's Officers, Directors, etc from earning more than 100X's why the lowest employee earns.

 

[Paumavista]

I think a judge will have to rule whether there is a legal obligation......seems to me on the surface that the county and Disney are pulling some legalese to avoid some of the obligations of $$ for the garage while reaping the $$ benefits at a cost to employees.....This is a company that could easily "do the right thing" by it's employees...be an example of the happiest place to visit as well as the happiest place to work (for it's employees) - it always makes me angry when I hear/find companies "contracting" and shorting its workers when their profits are enormous (eg Nabisco/Disney) and CEOs earn 100x a regular employee's wage.

 

[pedro47]

What is the median income / salary for workers in this industry in this metropolitan SMA area ?

Is Disney paying less than the median/salary for workers in this industry in this metropolitan SMA area ?

That I feel will be a key issue and the starting point. IMHO.

 

[DrQ]

What is the median income / salary for workers in this industry in this metropolitan SMA area ?

Is Disney paying less than the median/salary for workers in this industry in this metropolitan SMA area ?

That I feel will be a key issue and the starting point. IMHO.

It's sometimes not the pay, but how they classify the worker. Contractor, part-time ... hours and benefits?

 

[pedro47]

It's sometimes not the pay, but how they classify the worker. Contractor, part-time ... hours and benefits?

I understand your post. Contractor workers in this industry are paid less; mainly hourly workers working less than 32 hours per week; with no benefits package (no retirement plan, no vacation pay and no health benefits)..IMHO

Workers working less than 32 hours per week or 120 hours per month are not eligble for employer benefits in most states. IMHO

 

[amycurl]

It's really about whether or not they've taken taxpayer subsidies, and its clear that the public investment in the parking garage has acted like a de facto public subsidy. So, they have to abide by the living wage laws. And, yes, this is not a good look for the Disney brand.

 

[geekette]

I understand your post. Contractor workers in this industry are paid less; mainly hourly workers working less than 32 hours per week; with no benefits package (no retirement plan, no vacation pay and no health benefits)..IMHO

Workers working less than 32 hours per week or 120 hours per month are not eligble for employer benefits in most states. IMHO

I don’t think that’s a state thing but an employer thing. It has varied among employers in same state.

 

[geekette]

It's really about whether or not they've taken taxpayer subsidies, and its clear that the public investment in the parking garage has acted like a de facto public subsidy. So, they have to abide by the living wage laws. And, yes, this is not a good look for the Disney brand.

No not a good look. Wasn’t that long ago that one of the Dis family complained publicly about the issue.

 

[joestein]

It's really about whether or not they've taken taxpayer subsidies, and its clear that the public investment in the parking garage has acted like a de facto public subsidy. So, they have to abide by the living wage laws. And, yes, this is not a good look for the Disney brand.

I don't think they really care about if it is a good look.

 

[geekette]

I don't think they really care about if it is a good look.

True. It's all about money, like most everything else... everywhere else....

I couldn't imagine suing my employer on a salary issue. I'd simply quit. If I took the job at X pay, then, I agreed to it. I can change my mind and leave.

While people will work for low wages, companies will pay low wages. Nobody needs Disney on their resume enough to endure poverty.

 

[am1]

True. It's all about money, like most everything else... everywhere else....

I couldn't imagine suing my employer on a salary issue. I'd simply quit. If I took the job at X pay, then, I agreed to it. I can change my mind and leave.

While people will work for low wages, companies will pay low wages. Nobody needs Disney on their resume enough to endure poverty.

Something we agree on. Not worth the fight as even if you win not much different.

 

[Ty1on]

I don't think they really care about if it is a good look.

They didnt care about the optics of bringing in foreign worker visas to replace their IT staff at lower salaries, then forcing the laid off staff to train their replacements or lose severance, so i doubt they care about the optics of this lawsuit.

 

[joestein]

Disney has to be one of the worst companies to work for. I have two examples from personal experience.

1- My wife's neighbor's dream was to be a disney artist. He went to school, interned through Disney and became an artist at Disney. During the 90's they offshored his work and fired everybody - he lost his job.

2- 2 people who worked for me had friends who worked in accounting at Marvel Comics. They were happy at their jobs. Once Disney bought Marvel the atmosphere changed dramatically, they were asked to work longer hours and do more. Any socialization at work was not tolerated. The previously happy employees became unhappy and left.

 

[dannybaker]

The new boss for Disney will be interesting?

 

[pedro47]

Disney has to be one of the worst companies to work for. I have two examples from personal experience.

1- My wife's neighbor's dream was to be a disney artist. He went to school, interned through Disney and became an artist at Disney. During the 90's they offshored his work and fired everybody - he lost his job.

2- 2 people who worked for me had friends who worked in accounting at Marvel Comics. They were happy at their jobs. Once Disney bought Marvel the atmosphere changed dramatically, they were asked to work longer hours and do more. Any socialization at work was not tolerated. The previously happy employees became unhappy and left.

Is this how the Walt Disney family treated their employees ?

 

[DrQ]

The new boss for Disney will be interesting?

No really, they all kowtow to shareholder value to which their compensation is derived.
Meet the new boss - Same as the old boss - We won't get fooled again:

 

[davidvel]

I've never understood this new concept that EVERY job, whether flipping burgers or sweeping at Fantasyland has to support an entire family of 4.

When I was young, many jobs were considered entry level, and primarily taken by kids in school or others new to the workforce. People learning "to work." They then moved up in the ranks or found a better paying job.

Now people expect every job to support an entire family, or it's not a "living wage."

 

[Iggyearl]

I've never understood this new concept that EVERY job, whether flipping burgers or sweeping at Fantasyland has to support an entire family of 4.

Totally agree. An associate of mine used to say. "People want to get paid college wages for high school work." The shortage of labor in the restaurant industry is causing the employers to make starting salaries higher. Supply and demand should regulate the wage market. Here we have lawyers and unions trying to assert their influence on the marketplace to accomplish their own goals. And, if they succeed, remember that the next time you complain about how expensive 'The Mouse" is.

 

[joestein]

Is this how the Walt Disney family treated their employees ?

Is this how the Walt Disney family treated their employees ?

Family? They are a big corporation.

I dont think the family are involved with the running of the business these days.

 

[joestein]

I've never understood this new concept that EVERY job, whether flipping burgers or sweeping at Fantasyland has to support an entire family of 4.

When I was young, many jobs were considered entry level, and primarily taken by kids in school or others new to the workforce. People learning "to work." They then moved up in the ranks or found a better paying job.

Now people expect every job to support an entire family, or it's not a "living wage."

Absolutely. When I was a kid earning minimum wage for hard labor intensive jobs, it only pushed me to get an education so that I could earn more money using my brain, rather than my back.

I earned minimum wage from age 13 to around age 17. I was earning $3.50/hr in 1987 working in KFC and it sucked! Within a few years during college I was already making $7.5/hr by Sophmore year and maxed out at $12/hr as a senior. Sadly my first full time professional job only paid around $13.40/hr, but I doubled that within 5 years. So on and so on.

 

[Ty1on]

Family? They are a big corporation.

I dont think the family are involved with the running of the business these days.

I think what Pedro means is would Walt and Roy have run things this way.

It does seemed like Walt did like his money back in the day. I don't know how DLand employees were compensated in the 60s, but I can say that this trend of minimum wages workers feeling entitled to big money is fairly recent.

I don't believe Walt would have undermined his IT staff for cheaper imports, but we can never know for certain.

 

[joestein]

I think what Pedro means is would Walt and Roy have run things this way.

It does seemed like Walt did like his money back in the day. I don't know how DLand employees were compensated in the 60s, but I can say that this trend of minimum wages workers feeling entitled to big money is fairly recent.

I don't believe Walt would have undermined his IT staff for cheaper imports, but we can never know for certain.

Obviously, who knows?

However, in my experience, people who started out poor and earned what they have are generally more generous to others. People who are born to wealth are usually very tight with money for others.

I believe that Disney grew up poor/lower middle class.

 

[pedro47]

Totally agree. An associate of mine used to say. "People want to get paid college wages for high school work." The shortage of labor in the restaurant industry is causing the employers to make starting salaries higher. Supply and demand should regulate the wage market. Here we have lawyers and unions trying to assert their influence on the marketplace to accomplish their own goals. And, if they succeed, remember that the next time you complain about how expensive 'The Mouse" is.

Supply & Demand Theory. Is this why every major league players in baseball, hockry, tennis, football, golf & basketball average salaries are more than most college gradutes. LOL.

How many major league players have a college degree?????

What % have a college degree????

 

[joestein]

Totally agree. An associate of mine used to say. "People want to get paid college wages for high school work." The shortage of labor in the restaurant industry is causing the employers to make starting salaries higher. Supply and demand should regulate the wage market. Here we have lawyers and unions trying to assert their influence on the marketplace to accomplish their own goals. And, if they succeed, remember that the next time you complain about how expensive 'The Mouse" is.

Actually it will lead to automation in the long run. Especially for simple tasks that can be handled by a computer. I am sure that within 5 years, all counter service restaurants will become kiosk or phone ordering if it already hasn't. Get rid of all the cashiers. McDonalds is doing it all over NYC.

Flippy the burger flipping and fry cooking robot is coming to a fast food joint by you. He never calls in sicks, ad never complains about his hours or pay.

Why do you think that Uber and all those services are pushing to develop self driving cars - they dont want to deal with the drivers who now want benefits and health care.

You will see it everywhere in 10 years. Labor Shortage - not anymore.
Joe