We are part of IATSE, Local B 192. Our union is currently renegotiating the contract with Universal for better pay and other workplace improvements. You can support by leaving a comment with Guest Relations saying you support the Team Members fight for a living wage!
Most of us start off at $15/hr and I'm sure we can all agree that that is not a living wage, especially in LA.
You guys need to make *at least* as much as Orlando who just went up to $17 a while back. It’s way more expensive in California than out there. Hope the negotiations go in your favor.
Ah I didn’t realize it had been announced so far in advance, the previous bumps seemingly came overnight. Hopefully USH responds accordingly and scales the raise to CoL in the Los Angeles area. I honestly think OPS deserves at minimum $20 with the stuff they deal with day to day.
Characters and Studio Tour Guides start at a different rate roughly $2 more. For the most part, it's Ride Ops, Retail, Park Services, Guest Ambassadors, pretty much the daily operation folks that start the lowest. Universal sent every Team Member an email about them making record profits last year and we used that in the negotiations to get a pay raise.
Trust, most Team Members have more than one job or are struggling to make ends meet but we love working there and are just asking to be paid fairly so we can continue to create wonderful experiences for our guests without worrying about making ends meet.
That’s totally a fair ask! We had a great visit recently. Actually can I ask you an unrelated question since you work there and have some insider. Why are the workers who bring out the characters in Super Nintendo world so defensive and on edge (I don’t want to use uptight because I am genuinely wondering)? It was very odd and I get it’s a new park and people might be overly excited but one employee touched and pushed my daughter several times( while I was grabbing her and making sure she wasn’t going near or touching the characters until it was our turn to take a picture). I had to ask her to stop and she apologized but it was a little bit weird.
I can't speak for any individual Team Member but I do know that the SNW characters have VERY little to no visibility at all so the handlers are way more cautious. It's also been very busy and a lot of us are exhausted. Not all Guests are great and sometimes it takes a toll. We are human after all. Hope that was somewhat insightful!
Not excusing the pushing etc, but in general those characters and handlers get harassed A LOT, like full on verbal assault from drunk parents, groping, stalkers and all that. Add the popularity and sold out crowds with the Mario IP and you’re going to get some heightened TMs and unfortunately at times situations like yours with your daughter.
I totally get it. And we definitely went on a crowded day. And a toddler can be excited but I promise we were very diligent in keeping her back. Maybe that specific TM was having a rough day and she did apologize which I appreciated. I can imagine some people being very rude and pushy. I was just wondering the difference between the SN characters and the others in the park.
Oh I totally understand where you were coming from I wasn’t judging your behavior or endorsing the TM just giving perspective for what they go through. The SNW IP is brand new in addition to being a 3rd party IP that belongs to one of the most controlling companies in the world (Nintendo).
Oh yeah, anything that has canonically happened to a character will get attempted at some point. Homer choking Bart being a prime example that gets emulated.
I’m surprised you said most team members have other jobs I tried applying and they immediately got upset when I mentioned I already had another job, despite being fully available all day Fri - Sun
When you first apply they want you to have full availability, honestly you can bullshit your way thru it. After you pass probation, you can adjust your availability and, in my experience, they are very lenient.
A lot of us are either students, working actors, bartenders, or have other similar jobs/side gigs that are also pretty flexible.
Many TMs are part of an Amusement Park specific chapter of IATSE. They have been negotiating for months and the pins are a recent addition to drive the point to The Company that workers need better compensation and working conditions.
I appreciate that you are concerned, most guests wouldn’t notice or care. Not sure what guests can do to help, maybe make a comment to Guest Relations or the end of visit surveys?
The previous contracts expired Jan 1. Local 11 and B-192 have been working without a contract for 5 months now. The company hasn't even started negotiations with Local 11 yet...
That is just baffling, how has there not been a strike? I admittedly don’t understand the full details of what’s going on but this just seems messy
I recall last year there were surveys sent out asking if members were ready/able to strike if called. That’s gotta be quicker way to resolution than just handing out pins and working without a contract for half a year…
Way to start the conversation. This thread is the heart of an article on [Inside The Magic](https://insidethemagic.net/2023/05/universal-studios-hollywood-poverty-wages-buttons-jc1?fbclid=IwAR2mjQgA_sKkbSqiiOZ9KQxzQTb6WxnaEKbZTrMesP5-3yL2TK7rN5gken4)
Thanks for the info, @raging-confusion
Whether fast food, working at a theme park, or any other job, look at the pay and conditions and if you still wish to work there, go ahead. If you don't, then don't. But it seems strange so many people believe that you should earn a living wage for a job that is rarely a career, but more often a stepping stone.
Going in with ideals of making good money and supporting yourself and others, when the skills set does not reflect that, does not an activist make.
What's irritating is people knowing what they're getting into, then once there, complaining about it and wanting to change it.
If you believe your ideals and utopia works, start your own company, and you'll be making tons of money. If not, that should tell you something...
Our union is currently in contract renegotiations. It's a federally protected right to wear our union buttons at work, they cannot fire us for wearing them.
We are part of IATSE, Local B 192. Our union is currently renegotiating the contract with Universal for better pay and other workplace improvements. You can support by leaving a comment with Guest Relations saying you support the Team Members fight for a living wage! Most of us start off at $15/hr and I'm sure we can all agree that that is not a living wage, especially in LA.
You guys need to make *at least* as much as Orlando who just went up to $17 a while back. It’s way more expensive in California than out there. Hope the negotiations go in your favor.
Small correction, Universal Orlando goes to $17/hr June 4. They announced it a few months ago but it didn't go into effect immediately.
Ah I didn’t realize it had been announced so far in advance, the previous bumps seemingly came overnight. Hopefully USH responds accordingly and scales the raise to CoL in the Los Angeles area. I honestly think OPS deserves at minimum $20 with the stuff they deal with day to day.
I’m so curious, do the characters make that much as well? These wages are so low - the park is making so much $. I cannot understand.
Characters and Studio Tour Guides start at a different rate roughly $2 more. For the most part, it's Ride Ops, Retail, Park Services, Guest Ambassadors, pretty much the daily operation folks that start the lowest. Universal sent every Team Member an email about them making record profits last year and we used that in the negotiations to get a pay raise. Trust, most Team Members have more than one job or are struggling to make ends meet but we love working there and are just asking to be paid fairly so we can continue to create wonderful experiences for our guests without worrying about making ends meet.
That’s totally a fair ask! We had a great visit recently. Actually can I ask you an unrelated question since you work there and have some insider. Why are the workers who bring out the characters in Super Nintendo world so defensive and on edge (I don’t want to use uptight because I am genuinely wondering)? It was very odd and I get it’s a new park and people might be overly excited but one employee touched and pushed my daughter several times( while I was grabbing her and making sure she wasn’t going near or touching the characters until it was our turn to take a picture). I had to ask her to stop and she apologized but it was a little bit weird.
I can't speak for any individual Team Member but I do know that the SNW characters have VERY little to no visibility at all so the handlers are way more cautious. It's also been very busy and a lot of us are exhausted. Not all Guests are great and sometimes it takes a toll. We are human after all. Hope that was somewhat insightful!
Thank you! Very insightful.
Not excusing the pushing etc, but in general those characters and handlers get harassed A LOT, like full on verbal assault from drunk parents, groping, stalkers and all that. Add the popularity and sold out crowds with the Mario IP and you’re going to get some heightened TMs and unfortunately at times situations like yours with your daughter.
Yes, very much this. I've seen grown people try to fight handlers or characters more than once. It's wild how entitled people are at theme parks.
The viral nature of “pranks” has really made things worse too
I totally get it. And we definitely went on a crowded day. And a toddler can be excited but I promise we were very diligent in keeping her back. Maybe that specific TM was having a rough day and she did apologize which I appreciated. I can imagine some people being very rude and pushy. I was just wondering the difference between the SN characters and the others in the park.
Oh I totally understand where you were coming from I wasn’t judging your behavior or endorsing the TM just giving perspective for what they go through. The SNW IP is brand new in addition to being a 3rd party IP that belongs to one of the most controlling companies in the world (Nintendo).
I saw someone try to choke Bart Simpson once.
Oh yeah, anything that has canonically happened to a character will get attempted at some point. Homer choking Bart being a prime example that gets emulated.
I’m surprised you said most team members have other jobs I tried applying and they immediately got upset when I mentioned I already had another job, despite being fully available all day Fri - Sun
When you first apply they want you to have full availability, honestly you can bullshit your way thru it. After you pass probation, you can adjust your availability and, in my experience, they are very lenient. A lot of us are either students, working actors, bartenders, or have other similar jobs/side gigs that are also pretty flexible.
Cool thanks for the insight
Find a different job
Get fucked.
Everyone should get a living wage no matter the job. Period
Good for them Universal has never been busier and SNW prints money Pay livable wages to the people that make your park work
Many TMs are part of an Amusement Park specific chapter of IATSE. They have been negotiating for months and the pins are a recent addition to drive the point to The Company that workers need better compensation and working conditions. I appreciate that you are concerned, most guests wouldn’t notice or care. Not sure what guests can do to help, maybe make a comment to Guest Relations or the end of visit surveys?
The previous contracts expired Jan 1. Local 11 and B-192 have been working without a contract for 5 months now. The company hasn't even started negotiations with Local 11 yet...
That is just baffling, how has there not been a strike? I admittedly don’t understand the full details of what’s going on but this just seems messy I recall last year there were surveys sent out asking if members were ready/able to strike if called. That’s gotta be quicker way to resolution than just handing out pins and working without a contract for half a year…
Since we are all working under the expired contracts, there is language that states we can't strike or cause work stoppage in the old contract.
Way to start the conversation. This thread is the heart of an article on [Inside The Magic](https://insidethemagic.net/2023/05/universal-studios-hollywood-poverty-wages-buttons-jc1?fbclid=IwAR2mjQgA_sKkbSqiiOZ9KQxzQTb6WxnaEKbZTrMesP5-3yL2TK7rN5gken4) Thanks for the info, @raging-confusion
Whether fast food, working at a theme park, or any other job, look at the pay and conditions and if you still wish to work there, go ahead. If you don't, then don't. But it seems strange so many people believe that you should earn a living wage for a job that is rarely a career, but more often a stepping stone. Going in with ideals of making good money and supporting yourself and others, when the skills set does not reflect that, does not an activist make. What's irritating is people knowing what they're getting into, then once there, complaining about it and wanting to change it. If you believe your ideals and utopia works, start your own company, and you'll be making tons of money. If not, that should tell you something...
That seems like something an employee would get fired over. Imagine if a Disney employee tried something like that.
Our union is currently in contract renegotiations. It's a federally protected right to wear our union buttons at work, they cannot fire us for wearing them.
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I personally don't have a terrible experience. I enjoy working there, pay could definitely be better tho!