I somehow missed the news that three unions at Disneyland Paris were on the verge of a Christmas week strike. The strike began on the 23rd, one of the busiest days of the year for the parks, over demands for wage increases in 2010. Cast members walked off the job during the middle of the day which resulted in canceled shows and parades. Amazingly the day also included an actual protest march right down the middle of Main Street.
Now that’s something you’d never see in the US theme parks. All those cast members would be arrested and trespassed right off the property. The worst part was that the on-stage activity directly impacted the vacation of many guests, who understandably booed and hissed at the marching cast members. The best part was how other cast members stepped up and helped make it better later in the day with extra entertainment.
By the end of the day, the union called off job actions. No word if further job actions will occur in the parks.
Full details @ dlp.info.
Completely ignorant people.
Do they think that doing something like this will help their cause? How many innocent families had their vacations ruined by these bunch of idiots? What about the kids whose family might be bringing them their for the first time and they had to see this? Fire them all. they should consider themselves lucky that they did not get their butts kicked by the parents who brought their children their for vacation. This could not and would not happen in the US theme parks. I think other cast members would have to stand in line behind the park visitors to throw them out on their…
Merry Christmas!
Striking cast members march right down the middle of Main Street yesterday at Disneyland Paris. http://is.gd/5zXgQ bewildering guests.
Pingback: Lisa Battista
RT @TheDisneyBlog Striking cast members march down Main Street yesterday at Disneyland Paris bewildering guests http://is.gd/5zXgQ
France is hysterical! RT @TheDisneyBlog Striking cast members march down the middle of Main Street at Disneyland Paris. http://is.gd/5zXgQ
Well, France is a free country – an unfamiliar concept,I know – but there is no reason whatsoever to be proud of the fact that in the US “all those cast members would be arrested and trespassed right off the property” (arrested by whom, by the way? By a SWAT team?) Calling people who stand up for their right to be treated like human beings by a global entertainment juggernaut “a bunch of idiots” and then adding “Merry christmas”… – I´m not entirely sure if the guy whose birthday we are celebrating would have approved of that… A few people felt distracted for a few minutes, wow, big deal – why don´t you complain about *Disney* instead? *They* are the ones who neclect maintenance, close attractions early, close parks at 7. pm during the summer, cancel shows… Things like that ruin vacations, not a few protesting cast members…
It’s been a bit since I’ve been to France, however, I don’t think a protest would be allowed to march down the halls of The Louvre or Versailles. Striking workers would be allowed to protest at the entrance to the property. That’s how it is here. Your right to be on property ends when your shift is over. A property owner can turn around anytime and say I don’t want you on my property if you return again you’ll be arrested for trespassing (that’s called ‘trespassed’) and kick you off. Yes, Union grievance procedures would have to be followed, but in the US, union contracts don’t include the right to protest in the park during operating hours. Any cast member who doesn’t respect the magic enough to do so should take a close look at if they really believe in the Disney product, or if this is just a job for them. If it’s the latter, they should probably go find another one.
Am I missing something, or didn’t all of those cast member APPLY for those jobs? If they are being held in those jobs against their will, then by all means, the company should be protested for slavery.
With the bad economy and Disneyland Paris suffering a downturn in profits these people want an increase in their wages? Hehe..
They really don’t know how free economies work, do they? Perhaps they think because they’re called “free” everything is supposed to be free for them.
The world they live in is more of a fantasy than the Disney world that they work in.
Comments are closed.