EdmondD
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2014
An honest question, how do you define a living wage? What is the definition of this term?
Honest question asking for honest answers only.
What an answer to that question might look like is a list of things that one can utilize to live, such as rent, food, transportation, clothes. What would be on your (collectively, meaning all DIS'ers) list?
An honest question, how do you define a living wage? What is the definition of this term?
Honest question asking for honest answers only.
What an answer to that question might look like is a list of things that one can utilize to live, such as rent, food, transportation, clothes. What would be on your (collectively, meaning all DIS'ers) list?
I certainly don't begrudge any one for wanting to make more money... but when i was younger and wanted/needed to make more money, i got another job or even a 2nd job... Oddly, getting a new job or even a 2nd job seems a million times easier than passing legislation through government but perhaps i am just lazy and or selfish like that.
I certainly don't begrudge any one for wanting to make more money... but when i was younger and wanted/needed to make more money, i got another job or even a 2nd job... Oddly, getting a new job or even a 2nd job seems a million times easier than passing legislation through government but perhaps i am just lazy and or selfish like that.
The thing about a living wage -- it is based on the economy.
If EVERYONE was forced to get a living wage .. then the prices of goods and services would go up .. (Landlords would charge more rent, knowing their renters have more money, the cost of food would go up because the workers who make it have to get paid more .. etc. etc. etc.) ... so after some time, their "living wage" .. wouldn't be enough again.
If you can't pay your rent, work hard to get promoted, find another job or move somewhere with less rent. In other words .. take action.
When people quit working for DL and DL doesn't have enough qualified workers, they will adjust their wages upward to attract more qualified applicants .. or their business will suffer from poor customer service. The market works if we let it.
Aside from all of this (which I agree with completely), I'm guessing Disney workers are seeing the piles of money Disney is making and wondering why so little of it is going to them. It's the same story at Amazon warehouses, and I guess it's a question of who is more deserving of the profits from these companies: the investor class or the working class. Right now the investor class is doing extremely well.you have to look at the bigger picture, there are many many Disney CM's mostly the park and hotel CM's who are basically stuck in Disney, working long hours in low paid positions. Im not talking about the 20 something who works at Disney for a season and then moves on. Im talking about the 30, 40, 50, 60 year olds who would struggle to find any other type of employment if they left Disney. Disney has a good health care program and other employee benefits which other low paying jobs would not have. Low paid CM's who have been with Disney for a number of years have also worked up vacation time, again if they left Disney they would not get the same vacation time.
Many of the park CM's probably dont have any other skills or experience other than what they have learnt on the job at Disney. In todays high tech social media computer led employment world they would not be able to compete.
So saying well why dont they just leave Disney is not really understanding what being a CM in the park is actually like.
Aside from all of this (which I agree with completely), I'm guessing Disney workers are seeing the piles of money Disney is making and wondering why so little of it is going to them. It's the same story at Amazon warehouses, and I guess it's a question of who is more deserving of the profits from these companies: the investor class or the working class. Right now the investor class is doing extremely well.
you have to look at the bigger picture, there are many many Disney CM's mostly the park and hotel CM's who are basically stuck in Disney, working long hours in low paid positions. Im not talking about the 20 something who works at Disney for a season and then moves on. Im talking about the 30, 40, 50, 60 year olds who would struggle to find any other type of employment if they left Disney. Disney has a good health care program and other employee benefits which other low paying jobs would not have. Low paid CM's who have been with Disney for a number of years have also worked up vacation time, again if they left Disney they would not get the same vacation time.
Many of the park CM's probably dont have any other skills or experience other than what they have learnt on the job at Disney. In todays high tech social media computer led employment world they would not be able to compete.
So saying well why dont they just leave Disney is not really understanding what being a CM in the park is actually like.
I was under the impression that those corporate tax cuts would trickle down to everyone but hey what do I know, gotta give it all to the investors.Companies are not going to pay "living wages" by dipping in to their profits, they will raise their prices and we will pay. Then that living wage just becomes nothing more than what the current minimum wage is now. That IS the big picture.
Anyone with a high school level understanding of economics should know that. You can put an emotional spin on it, but it is what it is.
An honest question, how do you define a living wage? What is the definition of this term?
Honest question asking for honest answers only.
What an answer to that question might look like is a list of things that one can utilize to live, such as rent, food, transportation, clothes. What would be on your (collectively, meaning all DIS'ers) list?
If EVERYONE was forced to get a living wage .. then the prices of goods and services would go up .. (Landlords would charge more rent, knowing their renters have more money, the cost of food would go up because the workers who make it have to get paid more .. etc. etc. etc.) ... so after some time, their "living wage" .. wouldn't be enough again.
Companies are not going to pay "living wages" by dipping in to their profits, they will raise their prices and we will pay.
This isn't a direct answer to this, but I see a few sides / angles and situations.
First, I dont' think anyone who works 40 hours a week should live in poverty. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 - if you work 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year (no vacation) that would be a total of $15,080
The poverty line for the 48 continuous states is $12,140 - so not much below that
at $15/hour you would be at $31,200 a year.
Now, for someone starting out, that doesn't seem outlandish - I don't think it is crazy to say that when you have an entry level job you need roommates to have a decent place to live, etc. ... and I don't think too many people would argue that
The issue is for people that this is the best they can get, can this type of job provide for you and your family for the long term? And if not, should it be able to? Someone needs to do these types of jobs, and for some people (given their upbringing, skill level, etc.) this is what they are best at or best able to do. Or heck, maybe they really like it and this is what they want to do - is that wrong to want to be able to be a front line Cast Member "only" and still be able to live a decent life? ..... and I think that is where the arguments come in. Some people feel that someone should be able to support a family with ANY full time job - and others feel that it should be a step towards a "better" job that is required to support a family
I'm one of those people who feel that your pay should not be based on how many hours you work. What people are paid should be based on the skills and responsibilities required fpr the job, the education level needed for the job, and what the "market" decides the job is worth.
If a person works 40 hours at their job and can't afford to live on that, then they have a responsibility to themselves to find a different job that allows them to do that. I do not believe a company should be forced to pay anyone a living wage just because a person works 40 hours. I also believe that doing so will only create more part-time jobs where companies stop hiring full time employees, which benefits them in 2 ways since they will probably no longer offer benefits such as healthcare, paid time off, 401K matching (and pensions if they even exist anymore). Then what, is that better or worse?