Disneyland recently negotiated a $15 minimum wage for thousands of its unionized workers, and now it’s announced that a $15.75 minimum wage is coming for its non-union workers. Yay for workers getting raises, but there’s a lot going on here!
First, many of Disneyland’s union workers, in particular members of UNITE HERE, continue to have an $11 minimum wage, which is far from a living wage in southern California. So Disney is willing to give its non-union workers a raise while it continues to resist negotiating the same amount with at least one of its unions.
Second, note that while some of the unions got a $15 minimum wage, non-union workers will get a $15.75 minimum—in both cases to start in January. Isn’t that interesting?
“Whenever the unions get something good, the company tends to bump up the non-union workers as well because it keeps them from wanting to unionize,” said Artemis Bell, a Disneyland janitor who served as an SEIU United Service Workers West contract negotiator. “They essentially ride our coattails.”
Just one more way unions help workers beyond their own membership—by making capitalists anxious.