ztbz
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From the Orlando Sentinel, Here is the Link
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...5,1,3794329.story?coll=orl-business-headlines
"Note it appears the Sentinel has Deleted the orginal article but I posted it here before it was deleted"
Disney labor deal turns into legal skirmish
`Secret' talks violate federal law, union says
By Sean Mussenden | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted November 6, 2004
The latest Disney news
ON THE WEB
Walt Disney World
An unprecedented legal battle emerged Friday among leaders of Walt Disney World's largest group of unions, threatening to delay a vote on a new contract for more than 20,000 workers.
Leaders of four of the six unions that make up the Service Trades Council reached a tentative agreement with the company Thursday night on a new three-year deal. But the two remaining union leaders would not support it, saying they were excluded from the final negotiating session.
One of those unions, Teamsters Local 385, representing costumed characters and bus drivers, filed an unfair labor practice complaint Friday against its fellow unions and Disney, alleging the deal was reached in "secret negotiations" that violated federal law.
Trades Council workers are set to vote on the contract Thursday. In their complaint, the Teamsters asked federal labor officials to delay the vote until a new agreement can be worked out in a legal negotiating session.
Thomas J. Pilacek, an attorney for the Teamsters, said the other unions violated Trades Council rules by not inviting a Teamsters representative and the head of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 362 to the final negotiating session. The complaint, filed with the National Labor Relations Board, also accuses Disney of not bargaining in good faith by only dealing with four of the unions at the end.
"This was an outrageous backroom deal," Pilacek said.
A Disney spokeswoman said it had not formally received the complaint and would not comment.
Joe Condo, head of the Trades Council and one of the six unions, said his attorneys think the meeting was neither secret nor illegal. But, he said, he wanted to end the dispute by setting up a meeting Monday where the six union heads and Disney could formally discuss the last offer.
Local Teamsters President Mike Stapleton said late Friday that the meeting had been arranged, and he hoped it would resolve the dispute.
"I don't know what their motivation is [in filing the complaint], why they're trying to separate us, other than they're trying to get it voted down," Condo said.
If the same tentative agreement emerges from the Monday meeting, the Teamsters and Morty Miller, president of HERE Local 362, representing theme park and custodial workers, said they still will urge their combined 6,000 members to vote it down.
Miller said the offer doesn't meet the needs of his members, because the pay increases are too small and health-care premium hikes are too large. He would not comment on potential legal action by his union.
Squabbles among union heads have been common in the long history of the Trades Council. But longtime observers said it had never reached the point of one union taking legal action against another.
Victor Devinatz, a professor specializing in labor relations at Illinois State University, said smaller unions commonly join together in councils to get a better deal when dealing with large employers such as Disney.
It's rare for a council to reach a deal with a company unless all council members agree, he said. It's even more rare for one member union to take legal action against the others.
It was unclear whether the legal tiff would have a permanent impact on the Trade Council unions' relationships.
Stapleton said it "might create a permanent rift," though he hoped not.
Condo said it would not. "I can work with anybody to get the best contract for my members," he said.
Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@orlandosentinel.comor 407-420-5664.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...5,1,3794329.story?coll=orl-business-headlines
"Note it appears the Sentinel has Deleted the orginal article but I posted it here before it was deleted"
Disney labor deal turns into legal skirmish
`Secret' talks violate federal law, union says
By Sean Mussenden | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted November 6, 2004
The latest Disney news
ON THE WEB
Walt Disney World
An unprecedented legal battle emerged Friday among leaders of Walt Disney World's largest group of unions, threatening to delay a vote on a new contract for more than 20,000 workers.
Leaders of four of the six unions that make up the Service Trades Council reached a tentative agreement with the company Thursday night on a new three-year deal. But the two remaining union leaders would not support it, saying they were excluded from the final negotiating session.
One of those unions, Teamsters Local 385, representing costumed characters and bus drivers, filed an unfair labor practice complaint Friday against its fellow unions and Disney, alleging the deal was reached in "secret negotiations" that violated federal law.
Trades Council workers are set to vote on the contract Thursday. In their complaint, the Teamsters asked federal labor officials to delay the vote until a new agreement can be worked out in a legal negotiating session.
Thomas J. Pilacek, an attorney for the Teamsters, said the other unions violated Trades Council rules by not inviting a Teamsters representative and the head of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 362 to the final negotiating session. The complaint, filed with the National Labor Relations Board, also accuses Disney of not bargaining in good faith by only dealing with four of the unions at the end.
"This was an outrageous backroom deal," Pilacek said.
A Disney spokeswoman said it had not formally received the complaint and would not comment.
Joe Condo, head of the Trades Council and one of the six unions, said his attorneys think the meeting was neither secret nor illegal. But, he said, he wanted to end the dispute by setting up a meeting Monday where the six union heads and Disney could formally discuss the last offer.
Local Teamsters President Mike Stapleton said late Friday that the meeting had been arranged, and he hoped it would resolve the dispute.
"I don't know what their motivation is [in filing the complaint], why they're trying to separate us, other than they're trying to get it voted down," Condo said.
If the same tentative agreement emerges from the Monday meeting, the Teamsters and Morty Miller, president of HERE Local 362, representing theme park and custodial workers, said they still will urge their combined 6,000 members to vote it down.
Miller said the offer doesn't meet the needs of his members, because the pay increases are too small and health-care premium hikes are too large. He would not comment on potential legal action by his union.
Squabbles among union heads have been common in the long history of the Trades Council. But longtime observers said it had never reached the point of one union taking legal action against another.
Victor Devinatz, a professor specializing in labor relations at Illinois State University, said smaller unions commonly join together in councils to get a better deal when dealing with large employers such as Disney.
It's rare for a council to reach a deal with a company unless all council members agree, he said. It's even more rare for one member union to take legal action against the others.
It was unclear whether the legal tiff would have a permanent impact on the Trade Council unions' relationships.
Stapleton said it "might create a permanent rift," though he hoped not.
Condo said it would not. "I can work with anybody to get the best contract for my members," he said.
Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@orlandosentinel.comor 407-420-5664.
Yikes! That sounds like a can of worms opening up. And we are going to OKW tomorrow for three days . Hope things work out. 
