According to CNN, more than 30,000 Disney World employees will see raises of $3 an hour in 2023. Most will also see pay increases of over a third in 2026 as Disney theme parks have made billions of dollars in recent years.
In just three years, a new tentative labor agreement was reached between Disney World International and a number of unions. It will result in a 37% increase in employees.
Disney characters, drivers, front desk staff, hotel workers, and restaurant staff are all examples of employees.
Union members will see their hourly pay increase by $1 retroactively to October 2022. Then, a dollar increase once the agreement has been ratified and another dollar in December 2023.
The additional 50cs would be paid to the 32,000 hourly workers in December 2024. A second dollar increase would be made in 2025 and 2026.
Matt Hollis, president of the Service Trades Council Union which represents all unions that are negotiating with Disney, stated, “The company finally heard the voices of the cast members.”
The initial offer by the theme park was rejected by 96% of the vote. However, the 50-cent wage increase and front-loading the deal for immediate raises in that same year seemed to have made a difference.
“I cannot help but believe that the overwhelming vote of the previous vote played an important role in this agreement,” Hollis said that he “believes the overwhelming majority of cast members will view this victory as a win”.
President of Disney World Resort Jeff Vahle boasted that “Disney is proud” to offer an industry-leading package for employment, which includes comprehensive benefits and affordable health coverage. In addition, 100 percent of tuition for higher education is paid for hourly employees through Disney Aspire.
Disney lost its tax exemption in Florida in February 2023. This allowed them to manage themselves. It was quickly followed by 7,000 job losses and a restructuring of Disney+.
2300 employees also signed a petition opposing the return to in-office work that month. They claimed it would cause “long-term harm”
Despite the loss of $10 million in the last quarter in the media segment, Disney’s themes parks, experiences, and products divisions made a profit of $3 billion. Attendance at U.S. parks increased by 11% over the previous year.
