Earlier this week, Walt Disney World reps met with unions that represent Disney cast members to try to come to an agreement regarding wages.
According to Spectrum News, this is the first time the two parties have returned to the negotiating table since the union rejected Disney’s offer to raise pay for union employees by at least $1 an hour per year, taking most workers to at least $20 an hour by 2026.
Unite Here! Local 362 issued a statement stating that Walt Disney World attempted to negotiate a new proposal that “refused to add even one cent.” The union also said Wednesday’s proposal was “worse” than the offer rejected in early February as it “reduced retroactive pay for thousands of workers.” The full statement is in the tweet below.
Statement on today’s bargaining with @WaltDisneyWorld management. #DisneyWorkersNeedaRaise pic.twitter.com/Hm6on3b5gF
— UNITE HERE! Local 362 (@UNITEHERE362) February 16, 2023
The Service Trades Council Union (STCU), a team of six unions that represent about 42,000 Disney cast members, is pushing for an immediate minimum wage of $18 per hour.
Disney spokesperson Andrea Finger told Spectrum News, “We’ve provided the union with options that would set all non-tipped cast members on a path to $20 an hour and provide opportunities for immediate increases, and we look forward to continuing discussions.”
