The Wonderful World of Disney aka [View All]

[malaise]

Fantasyland aka Mickey Mouse propaganda.

http://www.cpa.org.au/garchve1/968dis.htm
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The workforce

Disney World Florida has 50,000 employees. That is the largest number of
employees in the US at a single worksite.

The Disney Corp pumps out all kinds of statistics to leave people with a
sense of awe — but some things they are not keen to talk about. Like the
sweetheart deal they managed to swing with local and state authorities when
they first floated the Orlando scheme in 1965.

In a nutshell, in exchange for the promised millions of tourists, the state
gave the company all the rights and powers of an independent municipal
government.

Part of the deal included creative accounting in relation to local taxes,
all very legal and saving the company millions every year.

The workers, of course, don't benefit from these tax dodges.

Employees are given jobs according to age and experience — the company
calls this "casting". However, even when you've been "cast" in a front line
job (reserved in practice for pretty, young people), the wages are still
low.

The starting rate of US$5.95 an hour hasn't changed for five years. You can
earn US$10 an hour after ten years, but the turnover rate is so high that
two thirds of the workforce make US$6.75 an hour or less.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney's former union, the Service Employees'
International Union (SEIU), represents 22,000 full-time and 5,000 part-time
workers at Disney World.

Disney boasts of being a progressive employer offering competitive
salaries. Mike Cohen, President of the local union branch, doesn't agree.

"Sure, they're competitive compared to the minimum wage which is at the
poverty level. And sure, we get 30 percent off Disney merchandise, stuff
that's already priced way beyond what we can afford."