Contract Divides Disney Workers

[Hakunamatata]

It isn't up to Union leadership to decide if they want to accept the contract or not. They try to negotiate the best contract for the union membersand then can recommend what to do, but it is up to the union members themselves to decide by voting on the contract. "THE" union doesn't have a say just the members.

So basically people are paying union dues for someone to negotiate a contract with Disney that very likely will not change. And the reason they continue to do this is?:shrug:

I think the best way they could give themselves a raise is to dissolve the union and pocket the dues.

 

[Monty]

It isn't up to Union leadership to decide if they want to accept the contract or not. They try to negotiate the best contract for the union membersand then can recommend what to do, but it is up to the union members themselves to decide by voting on the contract. "THE" union doesn't have a say just the members.

"THE" Union is "THE" Members.

Something a lot of the membership tends to forget.

 

[Alektronic]

So basically people are paying union dues for someone to negotiate a contract with Disney that very likely will not change. And the reason they continue to do this is?:shrug:

I think the best way they could give themselves a raise is to dissolve the union and pocket the dues.

Remember Florida is a Right to Work state, no one is forced to join the union. No one has to pay union dues unless they want to. Some people would rather someone else negotiate for them.

 

[Monty]

So basically people are paying union dues for someone to negotiate a contract with Disney that very likely will not change. And the reason they continue to do this is?:shrug:

I think the best way they could give themselves a raise is to dissolve the union and pocket the dues.

They may very well do it for a number of things that are negotiated into the contract by the Union before the final offer is presented. I've sat at the table and in every instance, even the worst offer that was presented to the membership to vote on was an improvement on what Management initially came to the table with.

I can't speak for the Disney workers, but I have personally negotiated increases over and above what was offered that easily pay every penny of the dues our members currently pay. Unions are still very much of value in today's society. Even if you ignore the monetary issues, How do you like two-day weekends? Paid Holidays? Vacation Leave? All fought for by Unions and don't for a moment think that employers wouldn't be happy to roll those back if the big Unions went away.

 

[mkt]

A strike at WDW will never, ever happen.

And if it happened, expect a full page ad in Orlando Sentinel the following day stating: Disney now hiring! Start today!

 

[BigThunderMatt]

don't for a moment think that employers wouldn't be happy to roll those back if the big Unions went away.

Very well-made point. In the theme park industry, Disney actually offers quite a lot to its employees, and the fact is that if the union were not there, Disney would be just as bad as every other theme park and amusement park operator out there. They'd be getting away with things that should be, in my mind, illegal, because there would be no one to stop them.

I used to work for Cedar Point for 2 summers and so many Disney cast members don't know how good they have it. Grant it, it's only seasonal employment, but it's the same jobs. Cedar Point's parent company lobbied for a law to be passed in the state of Ohio that seasonal employment should be ineligible for overtime pay (something Disney provides to all employees, including seasonal ones), and the law was passed. Believe me when I say they milk this for all it's worth. I was working 70+ hour weeks with 1 day off per week, sometimes no days off, making $6.25 an hour. And if you called in, even once, without medical documentation, you were terminated.

I'm sure Disney would be just as cutthroat and ruthless as Cedar Point, if it weren't for the union minding the fence.