Union leaders for Orlando hotel and restaurant workers say that a $1 an hour raise proposed by Walt Disney World does not “keep up with the rising cost of living.”
The Services Trades Council Union, which is comprised of six different unions representing hotel and restaurant workers at Disney, theme parks, and multiple hotels nearby, provided an update on ongoing labor negotiations with Disney earlier this week.
On Monday, union representatives say they were presented with a new offer that they described as “largely the same as the original offer,” according to a social media post from the group.
The offer provides for an initial $1 an hour raise to a new minimum wage of $16 per hour in 2023, with an increase of $1 an hour each year for five years thereafter.
“$16 per hour in 2023 does not keep up with the rising cost of living. Every worker needs an initial raise larger than $1 to address these concerns,” said union officials.
Last year, Local 737 union members presented a report detailing their request for an increase in minimum pay from $15 to $18/hour. Orlando currently has over 19,000 workers in food, beverage, and housekeeping across theme parks, restaurants, and hotels.
“We are here again with one simple message. Orlando tourism workers need a raise,” said President Jeremy Haicken during remarks made in November. Haicken made reference to the previous wage increase in 2018 that saw his union successfully negotiate a minimum wage increase from $10 to $15.
“Briefly, for a very short moment in time before the pandemic, that $15 minimum wage resulted in a living wage for tourism workers in Orlando,” said Haicken. In the past several years, however, “skyrocketing” rent, inflation, and food costs have “put the cost of living completely out of reach for Orlando tourism” employees, according to Haicken.
Union Shop Stewards and Committee members are scheduled to review the proposal on Friday, January 13, and are planning to schedule a vote for Services Trade Council Union members in the coming weeks.
“The leadership of all six unions of the SCTU are unanimously recommending workers vote NO on this offer,” reads the post.
The unions believe that a $3 raise is necessary and would like to see it go into effect immediately for every worker in the tourism industry. That would take minimum wages to $18 an hour, and all other wages would be increased by the same rate.
“Because the cost of living has gone up so much, only a $3 raise can get a worker and their family above water in this environment,” said Haicken.
During a presentation last year, union representatives shared results from a survey conducted amongst 2,415 hourly, waged workers. That survey showed that 69% of respondents didn’t have enough money to make rent or mortgage payments on a monthly basis. Additionally, 66% of respondents said they had less than $100 in their savings account, and 39% said they were worried about being homeless. Over 40% of the respondents said that financial concerns were hurting their relationships.
The group says that before the pandemic, the raise to $15 was in line with the living wage, which was estimated at $12.70 for Orange County residents at the time.
In the years since, that living wage has risen to $18.19, while minimum wages at the theme parks has not.
In the same time, revenues have risen across Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld by over $1.4 billion, according to the report.
To read the full report from the union, visit the Local 737 “Orlando Tourism Workers Need a Raise” report.