Disney has just increased its minimum wage; here's why it's a big deal :: WRAL.com

By Herb Scribner, Deseret News

Disney cast members have approved a new deal this week, which will give them a higher minimum wage.

According to Axios, union leaders have approved a new contract for Walt Disney World distribution members, which will raise the minimum wage from $ 10 to $ 15 an hour from age three.

The jump will help Disney to hire more part-time workers.

The company said in a statement to Axios that "the increase in salaries of cast members represents a significant investment in Central Florida and will provide a powerful boost to the local economy".

According to the Associated Press, the contract will cover more than half of the 70,000 workers at Disney World, the largest employer on a single site in the country.

The salary will have an impact on bus drivers, costumed characters, retail workers, cooks, makeup artists and many other positions.

"I think we won that for our members at Disney, but we also won for the Universal Studios car driver who does not have a union," said Eric Clinton, President of Local 362. Unite Here. unions representing 38,000 workers covered by the contract. "It affects Hyatt, Hilton. They will have to increase their wages to compete with others. It's 38,000 people. This is not a small amount.

The contract will increase existing workers' wages by $ 4.75 an hour by October 2021 as well.

Everyone working in Florida will receive a bonus of $ 1,000. Disney has already said it will pay premiums to employees after last year's tax cuts, but those payments have been withheld, according to CNNMoney.

"Our 50% pay increase will have a real and meaningful impact on our stakeholders and their families and is part of our commitment to the thousands of cast members who do magic for our guests every day," said George Kalogridis. , President of Walt Disney World Resort. "Increasing salaries for cast members represents a significant investment in Central Florida and will provide a powerful boost to the local economy."

Sylvia Allegretto, economist and co-chair of the Center on Wage & Employment Dynamics at the University of California at Berkeley, told The Tampa Bay Times that raising the wage to $ 15 an hour would be important, although the minimum wage of Florida is 8.25 dollars an hour.

"If I work for $ 8.25 on any location, and I use similar skills, I go through Disney Street looking for a job that guarantees me a higher salary and more important reminders, "she said.