Disney World Cast Members To Receive Much Needed Pay Raise as Early as Next Week

According to reports, Walt Disney World Resort Cast Members are expected to receive a salary increase as early as Sunday, May 21.

Related: Cast Member Unions, Disney, Reach Tentative New Deal, Pay Increase on the Way

WDWMagic.com reported earlier this morning that the Walt Disney World Cast Member union UNITE HERE Local 737 has announced that the previously agreed pay rise for Walt Disney World union Cast Members will officially begin Sunday, May 21.

The report also indicated that the Union stated that the second portion of the retroactive pay would be in checks dated Thursday, June 15. This second retroactive payment will cover all hours paid between March 26, 2023, and May 20, 2023. The first retroactive payment to Cast Members of the Union was made on April 20, 2023, for all hours paid between October 2, 2022, and March 25, 2023.

Earlier this year, Cast Members unions and Disney reached a new agreement about a recent pay raise for ALL Cast Member Union workers. The contract details that Disney Cast Members will begin to receive an increase in the minimum wage from $15 per hour to $18 per hour by the end of the year. For Cast Members at Disney World making the minimum currently, this contract will provide 20% or more general wage increases over the deal’s life. This move to $18s is ahead of cross-town rival Universal Resort, which currently provides a minimum wage of $17 per hour.

Related: Disney Confirms Major Layoffs Will Affect Parks

Contract negotiations began in the fall of 2022 in central Florida when Walt Disney World Resort clashed with Cast Member union workers (Service Trades Council Union) following a delayed sit-down due to Hurricane Ian. Then, again, negotiations for Disney Cast Member Union pay increase abruptly ended in the early winter of 2022. The talks did pick back up towards the end of the year when Disney Cast Members protested outdoors in front of a Disney Parks. However, the Service Trades Council Union negotiations were not going well, as Disney Cast Members rejected a $1-per-hour pay increase proposed earlier this year.

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