President of Walt Disney World Releases Statement on New Labor Deal
Following the news that the STCU had approved a new contract with Walt Disney World with an overwhelming 97% vote, the President of the Walt Disney World Resort Jeff Vahle released a statement lauding the agreement, and touting Disney’s commitment to its cast members.
In the statement, Vahle proclaimed:
“Our cast members have always been at the heart of the Walt Disney World experience, and we are thrilled that, with the support of the union, they have overwhelmingly approved this new five-year agreement that significantly increases wages, alongside our leading benefits program that includes affordable medical coverage and more.
Frontline employees also have access to 100 percent paid tuition for higher education through the Disney Aspire program.”
A Win For Cast Members
The new contract between Walt Disney World and the largest cast member union will see employees receive a minimum payment of $17 per hour immediately and a minimum pay for current cast members of $18 by the end of the year.
The deal was held up as a victory by Unite Here and the STCU, who noted that the deal would help lift many Cast Members out of poverty.
Prior to the announced approval of the deal, Vahle released a statement touting the new contract’s many benefits.
A Long and Winding Road
Before reaching an agreement on a final deal, there were months of tense negotiations between Disney and STCU. The labor union rejected Disney’s last offer in February, before publicly announcing that they were breaking off negotiations.
In the end, however, cooler heads prevailed and Disney and Cast Members can now happily move forward with a labor deal in place.
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