Disney hurting for kitchen workers

[eandt]

Most people I know that were working at restaurants moved into better paying jobs when the pandemic hit and they were laid off. While I know a lot of people that worked at Disney many moved on when laid off in 2020 to better paying jobs. Disney has historically not paid well so people are finding better and more stable jobs.

If that is the case then good for them and Disney will have to up the ante. What I have seen (and heard from many employers) locally though that is not the case. Many folks have refused to return to work while they are getting "covid" money whatever that might be.

 

[old lady]

If they paid them well, they would come.

 

[c0reyann]

If that is the case then good for them and Disney will have to up the ante. What I have seen (and heard from many employers) locally though that is not the case. Many folks have refused to return to work while they are getting "covid" money whatever that might be.

There is no covid money, unemployment stopped in September.

 

[eandt]

There is no covid money, unemployment stopped in September.

Not true in my state, supplemental unemployment (extra $600 per week for about 18 months) stopped but unemployment is still very much active.

 

[AgentMama]

Not true in my state, supplemental unemployment (extra $600 per week for about 18 months) stopped but unemployment is still very much active.

If people are choosing to live off unemployment alone, that is truly indicative of just how low wages are. If companies can't hire, they're not paying enough and/or they have a terrible culture.

 

[bbeagle]

I'm curious, how do folks who don't work (whatever the reason may be) pay their bills?

Most of the families I know make do with less money.

My wife used to supplement our income by working at a grocery store during the time our kids were at school. Well, when our kids had to stay at home, that was not an option. She had to stay at home and quit the grocery store as child care was more expensive than what she made at her job.

Now that the kids are in school, at any time they could be home for a week because of a covid scare. That, coupled with the fact that she doesn't want to work all day wearing a mask, and policing people who don't, means that she won't go back to working until this whole covid crap is done with.

I've been working from home this whole time. No mask. I won't go back to the office unless the mask mandate is lifted. There is no way I'm working with a mask. I'll quit my job and find a new one if they force us to go into the offices with masks.

You take one person out of a dual-income family here, then another there.... that's why we're having these employment issues. Once these covid restrictions are gone, then things will slowly get back to normal and my wife will go back to give us a second income like so many other families.

 

[bbeagle]

If people are choosing to live off unemployment alone, that is truly indicative of just how low wages are. If companies can't hire, they're not paying enough and/or they have a terrible culture.

You can't 'live' off of unemployment. At most, you get 50% of your wages - up to $10/hour, and that only lasts 13-26 weeks. If you were making $100,000 a year, and get laid off, unemployment will only make you $20,000 for 6 months. If you were making $15/hour, unemployment will give you $7.50 an hour for 6 months at most.

 

[eandt]

If people are choosing to live off unemployment alone, that is truly indicative of just how low wages are. If companies can't hire, they're not paying enough and/or they have a terrible culture.

Perhaps part of it, but don't underestimate lack of motivation in some people. I work in an "industry" where I see this on a generational basis every day.

 

[eandt]

Most of the families I know make do with less money.

My wife used to supplement our income by working at a grocery store during the time our kids were at school. Well, when our kids had to stay at home, that was not an option. She had to stay at home and quit the grocery store as child care was more expensive than what she made at her job.

Now that the kids are in school, at any time they could be home for a week because of a covid scare. That, coupled with the fact that she doesn't want to work all day wearing a mask, and policing people who don't, means that she won't go back to working until this whole covid crap is done with.

I've been working from home this whole time. No mask. I won't go back to the office unless the mask mandate is lifted. There is no way I'm working with a mask. I'll quit my job and find a new one if they force us to go into the offices with masks.

You take one person out of a dual-income family here, then another there.... that's why we're having these employment issues. Once these covid restrictions are gone, then things will slowly get back to normal and my wife will go back to give us a second income like so many other families.

Yes I agree, folks are choosing not to work for a variety of reasons, your scenario is one of them.

 

[MickeyMouse3!]

Private employers can't compete with government money. Government was paying, and I'm not sure if they still are or not, $600 per week. If a part-time employee is making $15 per hour on a 40 hour work week, they make the same as what the government is paying. What incentive do they have to actually work? This is becoming a serious issue. Eventually tho, actual workers will stop working and the government will run out of other people's money.

 

[dkostel]

I work in an industry without the ultra wealthy CEOs with golden parachutes. We pay a decent wage and are still having problems with staffing. The pandemic has caused a lot of people to re-examine their priorities and some just don’t want to work in unfulfilling jobs anymore. If they can make it work (part time or on one salary per households) good for them, I hope they find something that makes them happier.

 

[eandt]

Private employers can't compete with government money. Government was paying, and I'm not sure if they still are or not, $600 per week. If a part-time employee is making $15 per hour on a 40 hour work week, they make the same as what the government is paying. What incentive do they have to actually work? This is becoming a serious issue. Eventually tho, actual workers will stop working and the government will run out of other people's money.

The $600 a week number in my state was supplemental to what folks also received in normal unemployment benefits. The supplemental $ to my understanding has ended however it was to an extent I believe replaced for many by child tax credits which if I am not mistaken are now distributed on a monthly basis rather than annually. I don't believe this to be the entire issue but for folks to believe it did not and has not contributed significantly to the lack of available workers especially in the service industry would be naive.

 

[New Mouse]

A million people died from covid. Many more retired early than were originally projected. That's a huge hit to the available workforce.

 

[JenSop]

I'm curious, how do folks who don't work (whatever the reason may be) pay their bills?

They just go out and find better jobs. It's that simple.

 

[umichigan10]

Most of the families I know make do with less money.

My wife used to supplement our income by working at a grocery store during the time our kids were at school. Well, when our kids had to stay at home, that was not an option. She had to stay at home and quit the grocery store as child care was more expensive than what she made at her job.

Now that the kids are in school, at any time they could be home for a week because of a covid scare. That, coupled with the fact that she doesn't want to work all day wearing a mask, and policing people who don't, means that she won't go back to working until this whole covid crap is done with.

I've been working from home this whole time. No mask. I won't go back to the office unless the mask mandate is lifted. There is no way I'm working with a mask. I'll quit my job and find a new one if they force us to go into the offices with masks.

You take one person out of a dual-income family here, then another there.... that's why we're having these employment issues. Once these covid restrictions are gone, then things will slowly get back to normal and my wife will go back to give us a second income like so many other families.

I also think it’s simply what you’re saying partly, that people have found it’s pointless to work a second job when those wages only supplement child care to begin with. As well as a large influx of retirements and people filling those better jobs, businesses need to up their ante to fill those lower rung rolls

 

[lockets]

They just go out and find better jobs. It's that simple.

Here are some examples of that:

I heard about one woman in my neck of the woods who made $3,000 doing Uber last month.

When I go grocery shopping there are less shoppers and more Instacart workers. Their carts are filled to the brim Supermarket Sweepstakes style lol! Their cars are loaded to the ceiling.

I know a few people in their early 20s that worked in food services...

One left minimum wage at Popeyes to work at a gym for $17 p/h. Now she wants to leave the gym. Appliying for $18+ p/h. Interviewed at a salon and a montessori school for example.

Another used to work for Dunkin'. She left for better pay and hours to work at a nursery school. She also picks up hours at a dentist's office assisting with this and that.

Another mentioned they hate coming home smelling like the food and after years of it will never do it again. He went into an entry-level beer distribution sales job.

Another scored a job in real estate. Didn't like it. Scored a job at AT&T Wireless. Didn't like it. Now he's at the superintendent's office in an admin position through a contact he knew.

Another came up with the idea to highlight all their high school swim club experience to leave a minimum wage job to work as a lifeguard. They are at an indoor water park w/higher pay.

Another was formerly incarcerated and over 60 years old. Used to do kitchen work. He bought a pressure washer with what very little money he had left to his name, put flyers out and scored a bunch of jobs. In his free time he's been picking coconuts off trees and selling them to Asian immigrants at nail salons who love whole coconuts. Not even kidding. He also offers to refinish peoples' weather-beaten front doors in a day. All the work is done outside so there's no disruption to their home. They don't have to let him inside. And they love the results.

People are tired of the BS and they are out there hustling and job jumping until they feel comfortable!

I never job jumped, but I do notice the younger generation especially - they don't feel bad about it.

When people say "no one wants to work" it reminds me of all the excuses people come up with when someone doesn't want to date them or ghosts them lol.

In a lot of the cases the answer is "Oh they are working! They're just not that into [your company]." And some businesses aren't understanding that any more than someone in "dating land" doesn't get it.

BTW Disney Food Blog quoted Bob Chapek's mentioning they are still short on kitchen staff as of last week's earnings call.

 

[eandt]

They just go out and find better jobs. It's that simple.

Doesn't answer the question but so noted.

 

[bbeagle]

Not true in my state, supplemental unemployment (extra $600 per week for about 18 months) stopped but unemployment is still very much active.

Unemployment has ALWAYS been active. It’s limited to 6 months. You can’t be on it forever. It was only extended during Covid.

the extra $600 was for only 20 weeks - not a year and a half! The extra $600 was from March to July 2020. Trump gave 5 more weeks of an extra $300 in September 2020, then $0 until January-August 2021 where an additional $300 was given out. Since then, $0.

 

[PinkPixel]

Easy solution to this. Pay more.

We went out to eat Friday night, the waiter apoloigzed that they were short staffed because "no one wants to work anymore".

It's not that people dont want to work, its that people have had it with the low wages and being treated like crap. If you've got a labor shortage at your company, then you've got a pay issue.

Yes and also, Amazon, and all the other new internet service jobs that didn't exist 5 years ago and don't require the hours and stamina a cook does. At least, I would think.

 

[lockets]

The $600 a week number in my state was supplemental to what folks also received in normal unemployment benefits. The supplemental $ to my understanding has ended however it was to an extent I believe replaced for many by child tax credits which if I am not mistaken are now distributed on a monthly basis rather than annually. I don't believe this to be the entire issue but for folks to believe it did not and has not contributed significantly to the lack of available workers especially in the service industry would be naive.

Here's the catch though. Gotta have a child for this to work. So it certainly helps, but for the childless minimum wage workers this is a non starter.

I agree with you - CCR has a positive impact on monthly liquidity, but it would be interesting to determine if it's impactful enough for someone to pull themselves out of the workforce completely? Not sure about that for single parents... Probably dovetails well with the examples of two-parent households where one now stays home to child rear. It helps that along.

Then there's the rest of the job force...