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View Full Version : Disneyland Unions come to settlement with Management, UFCW website - 3/22/06



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Darkbeer
03-22-2006, 11:31 PM
http://www.ufcw324.org/032206disneymeetinghandout.pdf

The Master Service Joint Council, which consists of four unions (UFCW, IBT, SEIU and BCT) has come to agreement and set a vote for ratification this Saturday, March 25th. No details have been released




We have reached a settlement with Disneyland for a new collective bargaining agreement which has the full recommendation of your bargaining committee. This offer will be completely explained and you will have the opportunity to vote by secret ballot on the offer as follows:

acpalmer
03-23-2006, 06:02 AM
I didn't read the whole article, since I don't know the current contract what the new one is wouldn't make much sense to me. But I hope that the workers came out at least decently in this. It is a relief that there is a settlement (which in my experience with unions means the contract pretty much always gets ratified). I know my trip is still a few months away, but the very thought of possibly having to choose between crossing a picket line or not going to DLR when my kids have been excited about it for months was dreadful!!!

FMTX
03-23-2006, 07:34 AM
That is good news. I did not read it, but hopefully it is good for both sides. Particularly, I hope it puts CM's in a position where they can get and stay in a competitive position in the So Cal market. That will hopefully enable all CM's to give great "Disney" service that we are use to seeing but has slipped a bit with a few CM's recently due to all the recent issues in So Cal. That will benefit DL greatly.

Darkbeer
03-23-2006, 07:50 AM
There isn't really much more in the letter than the location to show up for the meeting to be held at 9 AM Saturday, and where you can vote if you are part of the agreement.

No details have been released, and more than likely will remain secret until they are presented to the CM's at the meeting at 9 AM Saturday Morning.

momsat1
03-23-2006, 08:15 AM
Thank Goodness!! We leave in 17 days and there is no way my Husband would cross a picket line. I have been following this daily, so this is great news! :)

SeansMom
03-23-2006, 08:27 AM
I hope this is good news for DL employees. Difficult to judge when no information is given.

momsat1, glad for you, too! I don't blame your husband. I think it would be really hard to cross a picket line.

AVP
03-23-2006, 10:57 AM
I want to hear more details about the final agreement.

AVP

dsnydon
03-23-2006, 08:37 PM
The contract is just about as bad as it could get, no 401K no raise the first year, just a bonus for some but not for all. I'll be surprised if this passes:mad:

ToursbabeC3po
03-23-2006, 10:36 PM
It's not good I just talked to someone ( I can not say who I am sorry) but what counts are peoples votes. If cast members don't get out to Vote on the contract they will be screwed. They are trying to bribe them with some stupid bonus. there strategy is to put out a little money now and have to pay less money in the long run. Part timers will LOVE this contract but it will be horrible for full timers.

ArthurBang
03-23-2006, 11:10 PM
Well, I'm in stores, but our union rep. and managers today were practically gushing over it. I didn't get a chance to read through it completely yet, but they said that it's better than what was expected. They said we will get several raises this year, three that I know of (for different reasons) and then the bonus is very cool. The stores union has said they agree with it, and the reps do too. I'd like to hear what the bad parts of it are.

ToursbabeC3po
03-24-2006, 12:29 AM
Just remember that you need to read the contract in detail. Just because the offer a Bonus which sounds WONDERFUL when you are struggling or you need the money NOW. You have to see past that and make sure that you are protected in the long run. All I really encourage people to do is please don't just look at the positives on the contract that make it look great but read between the lines. If you have any questions please contact your union Rep and go over it in detail.
In every contract there are going to be wonderful points that make you want to say YES! I remember the last contract they told us we would get Two raises in One year which was so awesome and one was 4% on top of our seniority raise. Everyone voted yes because they wanted what was going to be immediate gratification. But it also took away many benefits and seniority privileges That cast members really wished they had not given up in the long run.
Just don't compromise your future and if you are a part timer please don't compromise those who choose to stay as full timers.
In the end it all comes down to a choice and the power is in the cast members hands. I am not in any way saying that you should say NO to the new contract. I am just saying please make a educated choice;) Learn from foods and KNOW what you are voting on. There reps and management made them feel that there contract was wonderful as well but we all know how that turned out.

FMTX
03-24-2006, 06:39 AM
What group of employees does this contract cover exactly?

PeoplemoverMisser
03-24-2006, 06:55 AM
PEACE REIGNS AT DISNEYLAND


Also see:
Disney
Millionaire
Thursday


I'd never heard of this website, but this is the wire report I foundlast night:




Ending the threat of a possible strike that could have shut down the Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland park, the Disneyland Master Services Council of Unions, representing nearly 4,600 "cast members," announced today (Thursday) that it had reached an agreement on a new contract. The union and Disneyland execs had been negotiating under the guidance of a federal mediator since March 15, when the previous contract expired. The union invited members to vote on the new agreement on Saturday in Millionaire Theatre in Disney's California Adventure Park.



23/03/2006

Malcon10t
03-24-2006, 08:43 AM
Just remember that you need to read the contract in detail. Just because the offer a Bonus which sounds WONDERFUL when you are struggling or you need the money NOW. You have to see past that and make sure that you are protected in the long run.The one advantage here is Federal mediators were involved. When they get involved, it becomes a different ballgame. I, as the employee, would feel the offer was as close to being fair as it can get. It sounds like there was one real sticking point that neither the union or management would give on and mediators came in and said to each, "Here is the middle." It will not be everything both sides wanted, but mediators usually do try and make the offer a legitimate and fair one.

Malcon10t
03-24-2006, 08:44 AM
What group of employees does this contract cover exactly?I believe Stores, Attractions, and custodians.

Alex S.
03-24-2006, 08:50 AM
My understanding from a brief conversation is that the bonus ($100 for each year of employment) will only be given to people who are over scale in the time table of pay promotion. That is, people who have been there for four years or longer (and with current tenure averages that isn't a whole lot of people).

But at this point I am still getting everything second or third hand. It does sound, though, as if there really isn't anything particularly positive for the cast members in the new deal, though it is front loaded with some cash and raises (but the raises are mostly to bring people into line with the compression of the pay advancement schedule being reduced from six years to four years).

Osky
03-24-2006, 09:07 AM
Well, I'm in stores, but our union rep. and managers today were practically gushing over it. I didn't get a chance to read through it completely yet, but they said that it's better than what was expected. They said we will get several raises this year, three that I know of (for different reasons) and then the bonus is very cool. The stores union has said they agree with it, and the reps do too. I'd like to hear what the bad parts of it are.

I have long believed that unions no longer bargain in the interest of their collective members, but they bargain for what is best for the union executives. When the teamsters union and UPS went head to head, the union negotiated a contract that was worse for the employee than what UPS had originally offered, but the union itself got more. Kinda interesting in this case when all of the CM reports I have read so far say it is crap, and the union says it is good.

Burnt Toast
03-24-2006, 10:28 AM
I have long believed that unions no longer bargain in the interest of their collective members, but they bargain for what is best for the union executives. When the teamsters union and UPS went head to head, the union negotiated a contract that was worse for the employee than what UPS had originally offered, but the union itself got more. Kinda interesting in this case when all of the CM reports I have read so far say it is crap, and the union says it is good.

This brings up a good point, I've been through many contract renewals and while CMs often get less with each and every contract (mainly the fault for the union reps bending over) but things like union dues or kickbacks for the unions seem to always go up.

AVP
03-24-2006, 10:40 AM
I have long believed that unions no longer bargain in the interest of their collective members, but they bargain for what is best for the union executives. When the teamsters union and UPS went head to head, the union negotiated a contract that was worse for the employee than what UPS had originally offered, but the union itself got more. Kinda interesting in this case when all of the CM reports I have read so far say it is crap, and the union says it is good.Grundler, you can come sit on the couch with me. I am a terrible cynic when it comes to union "representation" of employees, and this negotiation has been a textbook example. The details I know about this agreement so far give every appearance that Disney got most of what it wanted, and the union got the right to brag about the "bonus" they "negotiated" for the cast members.

First, the contract is for three years, and will have an effective date of March 16, 2006. Disney was not able to join the DCA and Disneyland contracts, though the unions had already agreed to apply the terms of this contract to DCA CMs until September of next year, when they go back to the table with Disney. It seems a foregone conclusion that they will then adopt pretty much the same deal. So while the union technically won that point - DCA CMs are in less danger of losing their seniority by being melded with Disneyland departments - the Cross Utilization language has been softened to the point that Disneyland can borrow DCA CMs as the "business needs" dictate. There are a heck of a lot fewer hoops to jump through when you need to borrow a CM from the other park, and I can easily see a situation where the "business needs" would necessitate a long-term loan of lots of DCA CMs.

The hard details I've been able to glean have been sketchy, but it seems to me that most CMs will either get a raise OR a bonus this year, depending on where they fall in the "scale" of their department. As I understand it, (and any CM with hard facts is welcome to correct me), most hourly positions in the resort have a pay scale, and a set length of time needed to climb it. In other words, you're hired in at $X per hour, and the top rate for that job is $Y, and you get a set raise each year for Z years until you reach the top tier.

Once you reach that tier, you're considered "Over Scale," and you no longer receive the annual raise, just a cost of living increase. This contract shortened the number of years required to get from the bottom to the top of the pay scale in some departments, say from 6 years to 4 years. So as CMs reach their anniversary date in the coming contract year, there will be some adjustments as the new scale is applied to those CMs who are still climbing the ladder. I have heard that four positions (some merchandise positions) will also receive small automatic wage increases, retroactive to the effective date of the contract (March 16)

So much of the buzz I heard from CMs was about a "bonus" of $100 per year of service. I heard a lot of "Class of 2005" CMs wondering if they would get credit for their partial year. Apparently when the visions of dollar signs started dancing in their heads, CMs turned off their ears and missed the part where the only people who will receive this bonus are hourly CMs who are currently "Over Scale" - those who have already worked there long enough to top out in their position. The Class of 2005 - 2004 or 2003 for that matter - won't be getting $100 - $300 checks, because they will benefit from the scale readjustment. The bonus checks will be going to the Class of 1999, 1983, 1971 - people who won't benefit from the scale adjustments.

Call it a bonus, call it a bribe, call it what you will, but these type of lump sum payments are extremely common in situations where the union has failed to win the "non-negotiable" points in their argument, and serve to draw attention away from long-term concessions by promising short-term gains. So, who cares if your union allowed Disney to increase the number of hours you need to work to keep your medical benefits, just think - you're getting a bonus check this year (if you've worked here long enough and are already at the top of your pay scale...). And long-time CMs are far less likely to complain about changes that affect new hires when the contract means a big paycheck for them. The Class of 1978 will probably be perfectly happy to approve this new contract and take their $2800 bonus.

Disney was sucessful in creating two main classes of regular cast members, and CMs must now work 30 hours per week to receive benefits. There is a lot of fine print here, but basically CMs who currently receive benefits will need to work enough hours to keep them. Those who currently receive benefits but are unwilling to work the extra 5 hours a week to keep them will lose them in April, 2007, (unless they were grandfathered in as a CR-20 under the 1983 contract, in which case they will retain them so long as they still work 20 hours).

New hires lose a bit in this contract - I don't know for certain if this applies to all new hires or only some, but they will only receive 5 of the normal 10 holidays for the first few years of employment. And I guess they've changed which day is the official New Years holiday day, making it easier for Disney to staff the parks.

I'm sure I'm just skimming the surface of the changes, and it was hard to get the details I could get from people who heard little beyond the words "$100 bonus." CMs can attend meetings tomorrow to get the full details; for now the Shop Stewards are spreading the word through the Resort, and the union is encouraging ratification of this agreement.

AVP

Grandbreaker
03-24-2006, 11:00 AM
You will have Taxes taken out of that $ 100.00 bonus so you are only getting $ 65.00 or something like that.

Burnt Toast
03-24-2006, 05:17 PM
Well, I'm actually surprised that they got the time it takes to get to top rate actually LOWERED to what it was before it changed in the "Pressler Dark Ages" (as I like to call it), when it put into the contract with no fuss from the unions at all back in '95 or '96 (if I recall, I know I was in Foods during that time). Wow, I'm actually kinda glad to hear that, I'm impressed... I'm just hoping that the top rate itself wasn't lowered like it was during the pay scale shift from four years to six/eight.

I'm actually curious to know if the top rate itself as been lowered with this new change, because unless it's lowered drasically... the annual payraises you get at your anniversary date will actually be bigger then what it is now. Bigger question is, has the starting (first year) pay rates changed in any way?

The "bonus" is a good and bad thing. Good because under the old system those past the old four year and the current six/eight year mark were just getting the annual cost of living raises and now they at least get SOMETHING (well, they are generally also paid higher since they are getting whatever top rate was back when they first hired in and not the new top rate wage, most likely lower, since then). Bad because, well... after that up-front "bonus", they still only get the annual cost of living raise ever year. Hrmn.

It's probably good that CMs who are already out of the six/eight year pay raise cycle and are making top rate were even thought about, because they really never have been in the past. Sounds like from what AVP says, that everyone under Master Services will be switched to the four year plan (even if they were under the six/eight year plan) which means that everyone not already at top rate will get a raise in their hourly rate of some sort.

Pay statused as a "bonus" will always be taxed... it's usually never not-taxed (at least one of our CA labor commissioners told me). When I worked at Interplay we got a $500 for agreeing to take a very last minute business trip for three weeks to Edmonton to work at BioWare... when we all got our paychecks we found that it was taxed about 40%-45% (it's the same rate as any paid time off, like vacation), meaning that we only actually got like $280 of it. Naturally everyone that went on the trips complained and they gave us an additional $200 (which was then taxed again).

I am really curious to know what the federal mediator brought to the table though...

ToursbabeC3po
03-24-2006, 06:49 PM
AVP what you said is EXACTLY what is going on good post.
Yes the bonus will be taxed in the 40% range so you don't even see any of it.
Yes this is a bribe to get people to vote on a terrible contract that will effect people for many years to come.
I feel so bad for those cast members that will be stuck with this contract because most of the cast will make a decision based on what they want now!

Disnerd
03-24-2006, 08:25 PM
The DCA/DTD contract will be up for negotiation this Sept. not 2007.

Malcon10t
03-24-2006, 10:06 PM
Yes the bonus will be taxed in the 40% range so you don't even see any of it.
I'm not going to say if it is good or bad on the contract but the bonus will be taxed at whatever rate you are normally taxed at. This is determined by how many dependants you declare and your marital status. Someone claiming single and 0 may be taxed at the higher level where 40% covers your MediCare/SSA/SDI/Fed Withholding/State, whereas, someone married with 6 may see only 15% disappear to these deductions. Stating everyone will be taxed at 40% is misleading. Average is 10% to Medicare/SSA/SDI, then add in your fed and state withholdings, which are based on what YOU have declared as your exemptions. Depending on how Disney does payroll, some payroll programs will look at the bonus as a regular paycheck that is large (bi weekly?) and others will look at the bonus as a monthly check, which will take out slightly less Fed and State withholding. Regardless, the SSA/SDI will remain about the same (unless you have maxed them out already for the year.)

Darkbeer
03-25-2006, 07:15 AM
Actually, bonuses are NOT regulated by your normal withholding rates. The IRS requires that bonuses are withheld at 25%, with no other calculations (reduction). So you have 25% federal withholding, the 7.65% Social Security and Medicare taxes, then add State Withholding and SDI.

So you are looking at 35% to 40%.

The IRS rules can be found on pages 12 and 13 of Publication 15 (aka Circular E).

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf