Originally Posted By sjhym333 ^^^A pretty unfair generalization of WDW CM's. Many of whom have college degrees and are well spoken. It takes some skill to be able to engage guests on an ongoing basis day after day.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Plus if you look at the document you linked, it shows that at the end of the contract the raises will not cover the increases in insurance. Plus this is for health insurance only and does not include vision or dental.
Originally Posted By TP2000 Yes, I agree. I have met many CM's at Disney Parks, young and old, who were very bright and pleasant and could engage in sparkling, witty conversation. They can be the epitome of gracious hospitality, and some of the more tenured CM's even have an elegance in their presentation. The middle aged guys the union chose to put in this Mousetrapped video don't fit that description. They may be nice guys underneath all that bitter blame, but a polished and gracious presentation is apparently not in the cards for them. Again, this is just from what we see on this union-produced video from CM's the union chose to showcase.
Originally Posted By TP2000 Actually, "at the end of the contract" the raises still cover the increased HMO costs. (By the way, the union likely chose the HMO option as an example, one of several insurance options offered, because it is ALWAYS the most expensive) At the end of the contract, a single Attractions Host is paying 32 cents more per hour for HMO coverage. But after four annual raises, that Host has had three separate annual raises that have given him an additional 80 cents per hour. 80 cents minus 32 cents equals 48 cents more per hour, if he chooses to take the most expensive insurance option with the HMO. The annual raises more than cover the annual increase in the most expensive insurance option. Plus that nifty little Christmas bonus for 2010 that the union is about to kiss goodbye.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> One would think they'd be very grateful for what they have at Disney, but apparently not. They're expecting a 50K per year job sweeping a theme park with their education level and presentation skills? They are delusional, at best. << Just a mite bit condescending, wouldn't you say? I can hardly blame the WDW CMs who have no respect for guests like you.
Originally Posted By TP2000 We all have a spot in life, and customers should obviously be polite and respectful of everyone, regardless of role or job duty, as they move about a theme park or hotel or restaurant. A few of those men in the Mousetrapped video have clearly demonstrated that they don't have the language or presentation skills to perform most higher-paying roles at Disney Parks. If it upsets you for someone to be honest like that, than so be it... But we all can't be astronauts. Some of us need to be janitors. The janitor sweeping up the mission control room after the moon shot is part of the team too, but that guy can either have a happy attitude about it or be bitter because he's not the astronaut riding in the victory parade. The janitors in this Mousetrapped video don't appear to have accepted their role with a happy attitude. Having trouble putting food on the table? Get a second job, or find a better paying one. But to blame Disney for not treating you like an astronaut when you are the janitor? That doesn't seem productive, or healthy. Again, that there is a near-identical Mousetrapped video from 2004 produced by this same union still available on YouTube speaks volumes. VOLUMES.
Originally Posted By -em I agree with Westsider to a large degree and as one who is/will be affected by the outcome of this I am very mixed emotion about it. The one piece it doesn't mention for health insurance increase is the plan selected and the numbers reported by the union seem to only represent the bottom tier of the health plans. Which while adequate for the average healthy adult I would guess most of the people mentioned in the video (I haven't seen it personally) would be on a higher cost plan... The one thing I am surprised WDW hasn't mentioned thoughout any of the talks is the "Healthy Rewards" it offers back towards health insurance. It is something that if taken advantage of it easily returns 1/3+ of your health insurance premium. As for total salary cost. Is it livable? Define livable? As a single adult I do live off my WDW salary but it is a very frugal lifestyle that I do without a lot of things that others take for granted but I do have what I need. My issues are that I look at my co-cms who have spent 20+ years with the company making roughly 3-4 dollars more than I do right now (which is still less than I made at Walmart selling toys part time) When I saw the numbers posted I *think* in Orlandosentinel over how many union members voted total and then for and against I'm more amazed at the sheer lack of numbers. About 7,000 CMs voted. 7,000 representing in essence 56,000+ people. If the vote HAD passed by the same amount it failed it would have been voted in by .06 of the people it technically affects. Thats just amazing to me. -em
Originally Posted By The_Curlew Disney should be setting the bar for Florida. They would be turning them away. They would have their choice of the best and brightest and cherry pick the very best for advancement so people like tp2000 would not have to gaze on the unwashed masses. Sadly in this atmosphere of corporate greed, it will never happen.
Originally Posted By TP2000 Gaze on the unwashed masses? BWAHA! That's a good one. Disney should be setting the bar for Florida employment? Sure, I can agree with that. But they should also be maintaining their animatronics better, improving the technology used in their shows, expanding the monorail instead of bus lines, and building a lot more 21st century rides, but they don't do any of that either. I don't think every CM on WDW property needs to be a Duchess, or have graduated from an Ivy League college, or have even attended a few classes at a cheesy suburban Etiquette School. It's just Disney World. It's not Versailles. But have you seen and heard the middle-aged men the union chose to star in the Mousetrapped video? These guys are hard-working (giving the benefit of the doubt) folks of modest means and seemingly modest education. That's not a crime, and God bless 'em. But let's not pretend they are something they are not. It's a bit telling when people here get "offended" when the blatantly obvious is pointed out when it has bearing on the topic at hand. If the blunt truth offends you for some reason, than that's your choice, but the Mousetrapped video CM's are what they are. Their words they willingly put on YouTube speak for themselves. It's all a fascinating insight into the level of entitlement some of these CM's have for what they do for a living.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< When I saw the numbers posted I *think* in Orlandosentinel over how many union members voted total and then for and against I'm more amazed at the sheer lack of numbers. About 7,000 CMs voted. 7,000 representing in essence 56,000+ people. If the vote HAD passed by the same amount it failed it would have been voted in by .06 of the people it technically affects. Thats just amazing to me. >>> I don't think it should. Unless you make participating in an election mandatory, and somehow enforce it, election results will *always* reflect the will of only the subset of people that vote. You think your above numbers are amazing? Consider that President Bush won the 2000 election by only 537 votes in Florida, the swing state. All other matters regarding that election being equal, had just 538 more intended Gore voters actually cast ballots in Florida in 2000, the results of the national election would have swung the other way. Think about that: just 537 people dramatically affecting the history of the country in what turned out to be a very important decade historically. It all comes down to this: <a href="http://www.collectpeanuts.com/Collection/Images/Stickers/2009073/IMG_7105.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.collectpeanuts.com/...7105.jpg</a>
