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ktrm
02-08-2006, 12:44 PM
I went to Disneyland for the first time in 20 years in November and had such a fantastic time I booked a trip for March 14-March 18. I just read that there could be an Attraction Cast Member Strike March 15. Anyone know how likely this is? Does this just involve cast members who run the rides and not the entertainers? Has anyone gone to the park during a strike of some sort? Do people picket outside the gates?(this would kind of dampen the magic) I know labor issues usually resolve themselves quickly after a strike starts, but I was just bummed out that the contract expires right at the beginning of my visit. I also read they are training replacements right now. Anyone else seen these trainees at the park?

Ulysses
02-08-2006, 01:53 PM
It's not just attractions; several unions have their agreements expire in March. There is talk of a possible labor dispute, as negotiations have not been going all that well. There is no definite strike planned. The last strike was in the 80s, 1984 I think. Yes, there were pickets. There are still hard feelings among CMs who were here then, over who crossed the line and who didn't.

Non-union replacements cannot be trained as all the union agreements are still in force! Whether managers are brushing up their front-line guest service skills is another matter.

nightdesigns
02-08-2006, 06:32 PM
Friend of mine who works in costuming is currently looking for a new job because of the pending upcoming strike. She's been there 7 or so years and is currently FT and is worried.

darph nader
02-08-2006, 06:50 PM
My DW and i were on our honeymoon in 84. We started out in San Diego first and all the news was about a possible strike. The morning we wre ready to leave for Disneyland the word was "the strike is on".We hit the park the next day and all in all the CMs were very friendly about it, telling us to have fun and be careful, hopefully your trip will be somewhat uneventful and only good memories:cool:

ToursbabeC3po
02-08-2006, 06:58 PM
If there is a strike they have trained people from differant areas for the attractions. The only thing i would be concerned about is having an entire crew that has just been trained working the rides. It is very unsafe to have so many inexperiaced cast members on a ride. That is how accidents happen.

Burnt Toast
02-09-2006, 01:50 PM
I wouldn't worry too much about a strike. The unions that represent Disneyland employees are all talk and no action, they are notoriously weak. They'll cave in like always but still will have the nerve to claim victory and pat each on the back.

ktrm
02-09-2006, 08:09 PM
Thanks for all the input. My anxiety is much, much less. I can now focus on the plans and details of my stay.

T-RAT
02-28-2006, 08:34 AM
Does anyone know how negotiations are going, and if there still might be a strike on March 15th?

derraj25
02-28-2006, 06:42 PM
In all seriousness, what can we expect if there is a strike? We will be there April 2-7. Attraction closures? Hotel problems? Or will they settle, and the whole thing blow over. Is it the entire resort or just the park(s)?

Just want to know what to expect on a worse case senario.

CinemaGal15
03-01-2006, 07:08 PM
If there is a strike the Managers from all locations have been trained on the rides and the Attractions Managers because they aren't union won't be on strike, so I would like to believe that there is enough supervision that the other managers will be fine if they had to run the rides. As for what will be affected. I believe that lines for all locations will be long, but that nothing should be closed. I mean even back when the 50th started, there were labor shortages, but most things were open.

Nowhereman
03-02-2006, 05:01 AM
If there is a strike the Managers from all locations have been trained on the rides and the Attractions Managers because they aren't union won't be on strike, so I would like to believe that there is enough supervision that the other managers will be fine if they had to run the rides. As for what will be affected. I believe that lines for all locations will be long, but that nothing should be closed. I mean even back when the 50th started, there were labor shortages, but most things were open.


Many of you underestimate the demand to keep this park open. For one, the Park has only enough managers working the rides IF a large majority of cast members choose to cross the picket lines and work. If a large majority of the cast actually striked... there is no way all the rides would be open. I would be very suprised if the park could stay open. That said, I think many cast members fear not making money for a couple of days and would THINK they need to cross the picket lines.

danyoung
03-02-2006, 05:50 AM
There is a good section of Al Lutz's update this week on Miceage that talks about this. Apparently almost all of the personnel in the Team Disney Anaheim building are being cross-trained on the operations of the attractions, stores and restaurants in the parks. Some of these people started in the parks, so they're having fun getting back to what they used to do. But many of them have hardly set foot in the parks, and look at park duty as being beneath them. It's been quite a struggle to get some of them to participate, but from what I've read the pressure is on to get them trained. Of course this could all be a bargaining ploy, but it's a good 'un.

CinemaGal15
03-02-2006, 09:32 AM
IF a large majority of cast members choose to cross the picket lines and work.

Because all attractions are union, they have to all strike, thats why all attractions is nervous and don't want to because with their union contract they won't be paid like the supermarkets did when they went on strike. Most people are already looking for other jobs or backup plans in case it happens.

Minnie66
03-02-2006, 12:27 PM
I wouldn't worry too much about a strike. The unions that represent Disneyland employees are all talk and no action, they are notoriously weak. They'll cave in like always but still will have the nerve to claim victory and pat each on the back.
Unfortunatley you are correct, unions are only as strong as their members. I for one, however, wouldn't cross their picket line as a guest if they did strike!

Wesley815
03-02-2006, 12:32 PM
The only thing i would be concerned about is having an entire crew that has just been trained working the rides.Yet another disgrunteled ex-CM post from the one and only ToursbabeC3po. :rolleyes:

Go on your vacation, don't worry about the strike, and have fun!

Nowhereman
03-02-2006, 01:57 PM
Because all attractions are union, they have to all strike, thats why all attractions is nervous and don't want to because with their union contract they won't be paid like the supermarkets did when they went on strike. Most people are already looking for other jobs or backup plans in case it happens.


However, this situation is far different from the Supermarket strike in that it couldn't last nearly as long. If every attractions castmember, for the sake of example, went on strike.... the park could not operate. There is simple not enough people to operate the attractions at the park even at the least crowded of days. This isn't a business like the super market where you hire someone off the street and they are put to work right away. Attractions specifically require 3 to 5 days depending on the difficulty of the ride. A strike would put a huge dent in the operation of the park

vegasmommytoDL
03-02-2006, 02:10 PM
I'd laugh if they trained the Managers at my work to do the jobs of the menial workers. That would be.... comical.

It reminds me of a joke:
A big corporation recently hired several cannibals. "You are all part of our team now", said the HR rep during the welcoming briefing. "You get all the usual benefits and you can go to the cafeteria for something to eat, but please don't eat any of the other employees". The cannibals promised they would not. Four weeks later their boss remarked, "You're all working very hard, and I'm quite satisfied with you. However, one of our secretaries has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to her? The cannibals all shook their heads no. After the boss had left, the leader of the cannibals said to the others, "Which one of you idiots ate the secretary?" A hand rose hesitantly, to which the leader of the cannibals continued, "You fool!!! For four weeks we've been eating Managers and no one noticed anything. But noooooo, you had to go and eat someone important!"

Burnt Toast
03-02-2006, 04:29 PM
Even though I'm no longer in a union now, I've been through three departments in the last 11 years that were union (HERE, Teamsters, and SEIU) at DLR so I have a unique perspective that isn't limited to just my experiences in the past with one non-DLR related union.


Unfortunatley you are correct, unions are only as strong as their members. I for one, however, wouldn't cross their picket line as a guest if they did strike!

Yup... and like the Cast Members that make the union weak, the union isn't making it any better by showing absolutely no loyalty to the Cast Members.

The only time that they bother to even admit that Cast Members even exist within their membership is right before contract negotiations. They don't bother to show up to meetings with management, they don't bother to even treat their own shop stewards that volunteer their time like human beings, they flat out lie to members during meetings with them then stab them all in the back later (this is the reason why the DLH Front Desk is no longer union, SEIU stabbed that entire department in the back), they just take the manditory dues taken out of Cast Member's paychecks so they can push their political agenda and then they ignore them when one of their "members" from the DLR needs help from them. They laugh at us all the way to the bank. How does that make Cast Members even feel loyal to their unions at all? They aren't even being treated as members half the time by the organization that is forced down their throats and is supposedly there to protect and fight for us.

I understand this whole "union is as strong as it's members" excuse that is used like some sort of "Get Out of Jail Free" card that pro-union people keep playing... but isn't strange when the unions can't even bother themselves to lift a finger to reach out to new members? There no attempt to bring in or reach out to new employees, ones who don't come from families with strong union backgrounds or from immigrant families, or ones who are new to the workforce in general. There is no attempt to make them feel welcome and educate them about the benefits of a strong union and the values of participation. No effort to show them first hand that the "union is as strong as it's members" with actions, not just rely on just talk and propaganda.

Hell, when I started working for Disney I'd get a letter in the mail every once in a while (probably twice a year or so)... and all of them were about money, union dues, and the union's political agenda.

Hell, I'm not saying have an ice cream social or a pizza party or something, but they should make at least an effort to reach out to members, make them feel valuable and wanted in their organization... that it's not all about money, their political agenda, or your union dues. After all, these new members could be the potential leaders of their union one day. It's such a simple thing to do, reaching out to new members and starting off their union experience positively, yet they don't do it because they see nothing wrong with continuing to rest on their laurels that they got 50-60 years ago.

This isn't the 1930s, this is 2006... people's experiences with unions-of-old aren't the same as the greedy bastards that leads the unions that supposedly "represent" DLR CMs... and I wish people would get that through their heads. I wish people would stop commenting on how great unions are if they have NO clue how the unions that represent DLR CMs operate or treat their members. Just because your union was so great in the past, doesn't mean that all the other unions are as in-touch with their members now as yours was. I just wish that other DLR CM's and my own union experiences have been as positive as some of the other pro-union people have been able to enjoy in the past.

Unions act like big business now and a lot of CMs see that, it turns them off. They see $50-$60 taken out of their paychecks every month and see that their benefits constantly dwindling and yet when someone requires union representation, the union is mysteriously not there or too busy to be bothered with issues that only pertain to DLR CMs. All the while the unions consistantly claim victory with every contact negotiation, since that's the only time union officials show their face around here, which results in CMs getting MUCH less then they did before. They see that one of the main reasons (not the only reason, but one of the bigger reasons) for this threat of a strike is not because the unions are fighting for higher pay, but so Cast Members can continue to scam the full-time benefits system.

Speaking of higher pay... yah, the unions stopped bothering to "fight" for that a long time ago. I'd say it was probably when they allowed the time it takes to make the top pay rate in a department from four to six to eight years and on top of that allowed that top rate itself be lowered.

And unlike the supermarket strike... from what I understand there have been NO offers to conpensate CM if they are forced out of their jobs by a strike mandated by their union, even marginally like the supermarket workers got. They haven't even bothered to make sort of contingency plan to make sure that their members don't go under and drown... and bottom line is, the unions aren't going to be ones who suffer if a strike does happen, it's the CM that we know and love. They just run around and scream out the word "strike" and threaten to do it like they are a child throwing a temper tanrum, but there is no plan in place if that threat actually gets called on. That's just wonderful.

Anyways I keep saying this, but I'd rather not pay $50 a month for the same screwing that I'd get if I didn't pay and get to keep that $50.

It'll be interesting to see how this all pans out though. I haven't been "Cross-U"-ed yet, which is strange since I used to work in Foods and Attractions and I filled out that form like they asked us to, but I know that all CM (regardless of their union status, how they feel about unions in general, or whatever) will be waiting with breathless anticipation on what occurs to our fellow brothers and sisters, because it really does effect all of us CMs as a whole.

--- This post is comments based on my own feelings, values, experiences, blah blah blah and does not represent the Company I happen to work for. 8:P

Wesley815
03-02-2006, 04:55 PM
--- This post is comments based on my own feelings, values, experiences, blah blah blah and does not represent the Company I happen to work for. 8:Phttp://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/images/icons/icon14.gif *applauds* GREAT post! http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

Just have to say that I agree with everything you said, and I've also worked for a couple different unions in the past. Again, great POV on everything and thanks for pointing out the truth about most unions!

Minnie66
03-02-2006, 05:03 PM
--- This post is comments based on my own feelings, values, experiences, blah blah blah and does not represent the Company I happen to work for. 8:P
WOW!!!! that's a lot of emotion, or sour grapes.....I was actually just trying to be supportive of you.........maybe getting it off your chest will help?

Burnt Toast
03-02-2006, 05:15 PM
WOW!!!! that's a lot of emotion, or sour grapes.....I was actually just trying to be supportive of you.........maybe getting it off your chest will help?

Like I said, it's hard for anyone to understand if they've never had any experience with the unions that supposedly represent DLR CMs.

Hell, I actually was serious at one point on being a shop steward in one of my departments because the two shop stewards that we had thought I would be a great steward because I was so outspoken, vocal, and had plenty of Disney experience... and I thought my outlook on unions was just me and my bad experiences with the other two unions that I had to go through in the past. So I thought I should give it a shot... well, that was until I really saw how those two shop stewards were being treated, consistantly disrespected, and bad-mouthed by union officials to other Cast Members in the department, to management (why the hell would you do that?), and to the E-Board. It was really awful. That was the final straw for me.

Anyways, I didn't mean to direct that post to you, it was supposed to be a just a general thing.

derraj25
03-02-2006, 05:24 PM
Hey Toast...

Since you are on the front line (so to speak), what is the current climate? Will there be a strike or will they come to an eleventh hour agreement? Also we booked our trip thru WDTC for April 2-6. Where would that leave us in the event of a resort (partial) closure? Is there actually a tentative strike date set for the 15th or is that the last day of the contract?

Just want to be prepared.

derraj

Burnt Toast
03-02-2006, 05:33 PM
Hey Toast...

Since you are on the front line (so to speak), what is the current climate? Will there be a strike or will they come to an eleventh hour agreement? Also we booked our trip thru WDTC for April 2-6. Where would that leave us in the event of a resort (partial) closure?

Honestly, I don't know. My former co-workers who work in the affected departments have been pretty tight-lipped about the whole situation. Heck, a few of them feel that they are in the dark about what's going on and that the unions isn't really doing a very good job with communicating with them what is going on... other then there is a threat of a strike. I fully support my fellow CMs but I don't support the unions and some of their reasons they are crying "strike! strike!". It's like how I fully support the troops who are doing their jobs, but I don't support the reasons behind the war.

I work offsite, so it's hard for me to say what the climate is like right now. I can say though that all my experiences in the past with the unions in question that are threatening a strike, that they in the past have pretty much been all talk and no backbone. Whether they suddenly grew a spine since I have left being under the control of those unions, I can't say.

I'm waiting in breathless anticipation like most all of you guys right now.

derraj25
03-02-2006, 05:41 PM
Well, I'll tell you what I appreciate your honesty and candor regarding this touchy subject.

As the father of four young children all planning for the "trip of the year", I need to be prepared on what to say to them should there be a strike. It's info like this that makes MousePlanet worth reading. I appreciate everyone's input (yes the negative posts too).

I liked how you said it...I support the troops and am against the war. I think that is a very fair and honest analogy to this situation.

-derraj

Burnt Toast
03-02-2006, 05:57 PM
As the father of four young children all planning for the "trip of the year", I need to be prepared on what to say to them should there be a strike.

Regardless of the outcome of this BS, I hope that you are still able to have an enjoyable visit with your kids. CMs aren't doing this to be hateful, mean, or to tell Guests to screw off because they want some unexpected free time from work... and I hope that people will be able to see that. While some of the reasons being stressed on by the unions for the threat of strike I feel are not really legitmate ones, there are some reasons that are... they just aren't being emphazed on by the unions from what I can tell like they should.

I know that I empathize for any Guest that might be impacted if a strike does happen. Even though I'm offsite and no longer on the "front lines", I still feel for my friends who still are and how this will affect the Guests that they serve... because for ten years, that too was my life as well. Rest assured that it does seem like there are contingency plans in place (more then what I can say on the union side) so at least an attempt for a smooth operation will be made.

--- Again, these feelings/comments are of my own and doesn't represent the Company I happen to work for. Just gotta cover my butt. 8:P I guess I should just put this in my sig. 8:D