PDA

View Full Version : Strike? Info, please



BlueBayouBabe
07-17-2009, 07:21 AM
I have friends traveling from afar to go to Disneyland for a multi-day stay. They say they have heard rumors that Disneyland (Anaheim) will strike next week. I'd appreciate any factual information or inside intel that could help my friends in case they opt to postpone their trip until next year.
Thank you all

Drince88
07-17-2009, 07:43 AM
Could they be hearing of the hotel workers?

Here's one article (http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/Thousands_of_UNITE_HERE_Disney_Workers_and_Clergy_ March_On_Disneyland_7146.html)about the labor dispute. This is not a new dispute, but I don't know if a strike vote has been called or not. Theoretically, though, this would only potentially disrupt people staying at the 3 onsite hotels.

AVP
07-17-2009, 09:18 AM
I've heard the strike rumors too, but the union has not yet called for a strike authorization vote.

Because the union declined a proposed contract extention after the prior contract expired in 2008, the covered hotel workers can technically strike at any point. (A contract extenion would have precluded them from picketing, holding public protests or striking).

The Disneyland Resort has a strike contingency plan, and the hotels will all remain open. The strike will not impact operations at Disneyland or DCA at all - the union involved here only covers some of the workers at the three Disneyland Resort hotels - though there may be picket lines.

My advice is dependent on why your friends want to avoid a possible strike:

If they won't cross picket lines and will not visit the parks if a strike is called, then they should probably wait until the contract is settled. (And it's been 18 months, so there's no telling how long this will drag out)
If they are planning to stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel and they are concerned about possible inconvenience if the workers strike, then they should know that the hotels will remain open.
If they won't stay at a struck hotel, but will cross picket lines to visit the parks, they can stay at any number of area hotels.
AVP

DizneyMommy
07-17-2009, 05:36 PM
Do you know which department of workers it affects? I am in the hotels several times a week for work, and a strike among the regular bell desk, front desk leads, valet, or concierge employees could be a major issue for us...

AVP
07-17-2009, 05:48 PM
Do you know which department of workers it affects? I am in the hotels several times a week for work, and a strike among the regular bell desk, front desk leads, valet, or concierge employees could be a major issue for us...Yep, this could be a major issue for you. Unite HERE Local 11 covers valets and bell service workers, housekeeping, restaurant servers, bar attendents, cooks and bussers at the three Disneyland Resort hotels.

AVP

DizneyMommy
07-18-2009, 11:59 AM
Yep, this could be a major issue for you. Unite HERE Local 11 covers valets and bell service workers, housekeeping, restaurant servers, bar attendents, cooks and bussers at the three Disneyland Resort hotels.

AVP

Oh FAB-u-lous. That is going to make my life very difficult, especially if there are picket lines and my valet and bell buddies see me drive through them - so much for the great relationships I've been working on!

adriennek
07-18-2009, 06:02 PM
Oh FAB-u-lous. That is going to make my life very difficult, especially if there are picket lines and my valet and bell buddies see me drive through them - so much for the great relationships I've been working on!

Do you know how they feel about the union? A lot of CMs have no love lost for the union. This Union has repeatedly violated their members' best interests. I'm not a fan of unions but going after this one is like shooting fish in a barrel. Even if this union fell apart, the CMs would not be "union free" but they would probably absorb into the larger union that represents, I believe it's most of the rest of the resort CMs - and they'd be SO much better off!!

The whole situation is a giant mess that was created by the union that was supposed to be representing the CMs best interests but didn't care about anything but filling the pockets of the union. In My Opinion. (And a lot of others' ;) )

Adrienne

Burnt Toast
07-19-2009, 08:31 AM
As someone who worked at the Disneyland Hotel Front Desk at one point, HERE Local 11 does NOT act in Cast Member's or the Guest's best interests.

Case in point? When I worked at the DLH Front Desk, it used to be the only unionized Front Desk department (under SEIU, which is mostly a janitorial union) at the Resort... the Grand and Paradise Pier were not union. When the Cast Members collectively agreed to switch unions to HERE, a more hotel-centric union after numeruous complaints about the representation we were receiving by them (ie the Union liason would regularly fall asleep during meetings with Hotel managers), the leaders of SEIU (Dave S.) and HERE (Ada B.) conspired behind the scenes to not allow the changeover. Better yet, SEIU then DROPPED the DLH Front Desk and the department was forced to become non-union (exactly what Disney wanted) and frankly, they are much better off. So instead of SEIU and HERE allowing the department to move to an Union that is much better suited for their line of business, they would rather have them not be unionized at all... how does that even make any sense?

Actions like these and the shady tactics that the leaders of HERE are currently employing right now has and will forever sour my opinion of unions.

I've been in three different unions during my time at Disney (HERE, Teamsters, and SEIU) as well as worked in non-union roles... I find that my benefits are MUCH better in my non-union roles as well as I don't have to shell out the rediculous union dues every month.

Technical trade unions still have a place in today's society, but Unions like the ones that "represent" front-line non-technical industry employees do not. The Unions that "represent" front-line Disney Cast Members are basically only operating to ensure their own survival and to use our union dues to make political causes that benefit them, like making contributions to state Props; like the one that wanted to give illegals driver's licenses and such a few years back.

adriennek
07-19-2009, 08:41 AM
I've been in three different unions during my time at Disney (HERE, Teamsters, and SEIU) as well as worked in non-union roles... I find that my benefits are MUCH better in my non-union roles as well as I don't have to shell out the rediculous union dues every month.

I'm with you Burnt Toast - am not at alllll a fan of unions but the things I've learned about HERE bring my opinion of unions to an all-time, unbelievable Looooooooooow. HERE makes unions look bad. And that's saying a LOT.

If the HERE CMs HAVE to be unionized, let them join a different union. And that's all I can say about that. For now.

Adrienne K

AlbertaMinnie
07-19-2009, 10:17 AM
So is there anything the 'average' tourist can do to help?

Or are everyones hands tied at the moment?

darph nader
07-19-2009, 01:18 PM
As someone who worked at the Disneyland Hotel Front Desk at one point, HERE Local 11 does NOT act in Cast Member's or the Guest's best interests.

Sounds like Congress. :rolleyes: We 'hire' them to represent us,then tell us we don't know what we are talking about. :mad: The biggest problem is that it takes soooo long to 'fire' them. And the jerks still get their perks.:mad:

TowerofTerror
07-20-2009, 06:20 PM
I hope it was rumors

Canyon girl
07-21-2009, 03:16 PM
Doesn't the union realize that they are not affecting Disney with their yelling and marching outside the hotels? They are affecting the tourists who are just like their members (pinching every penny to go on vacation). Just continuing this for so long shows how they just want extra attention and money. If they are going to strike, get it done and over with. Can't Disney just start firing employees and replace them, or do all employees have to belong to the union. I understand that unions can be beneficial if run properly, but this just seems ridiculous to me. Why are the employees just following? Can they not vote amongst themselves to join a different and more reasonable union? Do they not research the matter for themselves?

Burnt Toast
07-21-2009, 11:47 PM
Doesn't the union realize that they are not affecting Disney with their yelling and marching outside the hotels? They are affecting the tourists who are just like their members (pinching every penny to go on vacation). Just continuing this for so long shows how they just want extra attention and money. If they are going to strike, get it done and over with. Can't Disney just start firing employees and replace them, or do all employees have to belong to the union. I understand that unions can be beneficial if run properly, but this just seems ridiculous to me. Why are the employees just following? Can they not vote amongst themselves to join a different and more reasonable union? Do they not research the matter for themselves?

... the big hoopla in front of Guests is exactly what they want. It's basically a smear campaign against Disney... Guests will automatically think that Disney is anti-employee and all the like without looking at the facts, they'll just make a snap judgment against Disney.

All the while the that very Union has been the one that has been the real a-holes in the whole process. They spent more time throwing demonstrations and holding rallies then they have been at the negotiating table. The shady ones in the whole mess has been HERE.

... but most Guests will realize that... and that's exactly what the Union wants.

Burnt Toast
07-22-2009, 11:22 AM
... but most Guests will realize that... and that's exactly what the Union wants.

Oops... I meant most Guests WON'T realize that.

adriennek
07-22-2009, 11:40 AM
... the big hoopla in front of Guests is exactly what they want. It's basically a smear campaign against Disney...

snip to

They spent more time throwing demonstrations and holding rallies then they have been at the negotiating table. The shady ones in the whole mess has been HERE.

What BurntToast said. And most people actually think that the people at the rallies are CMs. They're not. A lot of the people at the rallies aren't even employed by Disney. Guests will assume that the Cast Members agree with the union when many of them don't.

Adrienne

Canyon girl
07-22-2009, 02:44 PM
That really is a shame! I knew that the people weren't all CMs because I read the article about the church getting involved. Do other unions point out the problems to the members of this union? You can tell that I never lived in an unionized state. To me, it just doesn't make sense. I wish that it would end, though. It's not good for either side.

Canyon girl
08-07-2009, 12:05 PM
I read that the union rejected the contract by 92%. Does this mean that a strike is imminent? I am going in Sept and do not want to have to cross picket lines and such. I am staying at PPH, and it seems that this is where the union seems to concentrate their activities. Has anyone heard anything new? I was told by Guest Communications that workers were cross-trained to take over in event of a strike, but I don't want to go on vacation with a bunch of picketers. My children don't need to experience this!

AVP
08-07-2009, 01:30 PM
93% of the members who voted on the contract rejected it, but only 55% of the union membership voted at all.

AVP

Drince88
08-07-2009, 01:46 PM
93% of the members who voted on the contract rejected it, but only 55% of the union membership voted at all.

AVP

But they actually let the membership vote on it. Isn't that 'progress'?

Canyon girl
08-07-2009, 02:39 PM
I wonder what the other 45% would have said? So, will they go back to the table. Didn't the union refuse to talk at the table before?

cstephens
08-07-2009, 03:12 PM
93% of the members who voted on the contract rejected it, but only 55% of the union membership voted at all.

AVP

That's a really low number of people who voted. I wonder why more didn't vote. And I would think they'd need a higher number to actually count as a vote by the membership.

adriennek
08-07-2009, 04:30 PM
That's a really low number of people who voted. I wonder why more didn't vote.

Dangnabit. I was told a possible reason but I don't remember if I'm allowed to say it in public. So I won't.

I would really like to know what the 93% who rejected the contract were told about this contract, and about previous contract offers that were or were not voted on, who gave them whatever information they had and how it was given.

Adrienne