UNITE HERE, whose Locals 681 and 11 cover Disneyland Resort hotel and restaurant workers, is currently undergoing some internal strife that may have led to a defection of 150,000 of its members to a rival union.
As we discussed before (here and here are good starting points) UNITE HERE Local 11, 681, and Disney are in protracted arguments (I would hesitate to call them negotiations) over wage and benefit issues. There is no word if the current fracture will change the status.
I’m a supporter of increasing wages and benefits for service employees, however, a look at their protest website “Disney Is Unfaithful” and their aborted Twitter attempt, does more to turn me off from their goals than to make me want to support them. All the stories lead me to think they’re conspiracy nuts that have it out for Disney, rather than employees who want to be partners in the company’s success, but think they deserve a living wage for doing so.
That’s too bad, because the only people who are getting hurt here are the employees and their families who will lose their jobs and benefits as a result.
I grew up with Disney, living in Anaheim . The happiest place on earth. The employees are paid not high wages (actually poverty wages). Myself I could be getting up as early as 3:30am in the morning to work. I bring smiles, and joy to my guests. I enjoy bringing the magic that helps make Disney so famous. I do not require a monitory raise. I would be very happy just to keep the contract with the union the way it was, and for Disney to pay equally as the other hotels, Hilton, Sheraton are paying into to keep quality HMO benefits and sick pay strong. Disney wants this to change, to an insurance not so affordable, in my case since I normally do not receive 30 hours a week, they will take my insurance away from me. There is an old saying if you have your health you have everything. Seventy plus hours a month I work to create smiles of magic for the guests. I do not feel it is asking to much from the Happiest Place On Earth to help protect me from illness and to keep my health strong.
Alicia,
Disney recently offered to up the ante for your staff, did the Union even let you vote on that proposal? Why won’t the Union let its members hear what Disney is offering? Are you getting your information from impartial sources, or directly from the Union? Because it seems to me like the Union is no longer looking out for its members, the Union is looking out for the Union. Start asking questions of your Union leaders.
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