Disneyland protest

[FlameGirl]

Sorry if this has been posted before...but was anyone around this weekend to see the DL protesters? I have a link but of course I can't post it (my post count is too low).

I think that would have been pretty wild to see the all of the workers dressed in Disney costumes hauled off in the pattywagon!

 

[MyMonkies]

I haven't heard anything about it, fill me in

 

[FlameGirl]

Wish I could link the article. I'll just copy and paste here.

Cinderella, Snow White and Mickey Mouse arrested as police clash with staff at Disneyland

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:16 PM on 15th August 2008

Mickey Mouse had his tail between his legs yesterday - after being arrested by police and led away in handcuffs.

Also taken into custody outside Disneyland in Anaheim, Los Angeles, were Cinderella, Snow White, and Tinkerbell.

It happened as workers at the theme park - dubbed the Happiest Place on Earth - staged a demonstration over pay and conditions.

The arrest of 32 costumed protesters came at the end of an hour-long march from one of three Disney-owned hotels.

Bewildered tourists looked on as the cartoon characters were led to two police vans while hundreds of fellow employees cheered and chanted.
Enlarge Tinker Bell and Minnie Mouse arrest

The dispute involves 2,300 maids, bellhops, cooks and dishwashers at three Disney-owned hotels.

Their contract expired in February and their union says Disney's latest proposal makes health care unaffordable and creates an unfair two-tier wage system.

Disney said it is in negotiations with the union and nothing has been finalised.Before the arrests, the picketers marched and chanted outside Paradise Pier, holding signs that read, 'Disney is unfaithful,' and 'Mickey, shame on you.'

They were joined by community activists and religious leaders from local churches.
Disneyland protest

Luz Vasquez, who works in the bakery at Disneyland Hotel, said she can't afford to lose many of her benefits.

'Disneyland is being unfair with us because we're fighting for our health care and they're trying to take it away,' said Vasquez, 45.

 

[MyMonkies]

Wow! I had heard nothing about it! That would have been a site to see!

 

[FlameGirl]

The pictures are great. I'll link to it when I get a few more posts in

I think it's pretty funny, but I may not laugh as hard if I had a really little one who was witness to the spectacle. To see Snow White and Peter Pan hauled off must have been quite a rude awakening for some of the really little guys.

I do hope they can come to some resolution on the wage disputes. I know those employees work their tails off...it's really sad it's come to this. I hope Disney plays nice.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Wish I could link the article. I'll just copy and paste here.

Cinderella, Snow White and Mickey Mouse arrested as police clash with staff at Disneyland

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:16 PM on 15th August 2008...

FlameGirl, were you doing an on-line search for Disney protests?

If you note, the article you have quoted above is from a year ago: "15th August 2008."

There was discussion about this a year ago when it occurred.

- Dreams

 

[FlameGirl]

Nope, I wasn't. Someone sent it to me because they know I just booked a trip. I looked right past the 2008 in the date since it was so close to today's date.

Hence the "sorry if this has been posted before", I guess.

 

[Disney Dreams]

No worries for your upcoming trip. Hope you have a great time.

 

[bumbershoot]

No worries about posting it. It's actually quite interesting, b/c the protests are...not necessarily what they seem. We don't talk about CM politics much here on the Dis, but it's talked about on mouseplanet, and you can find some posts within the last week about the Union in charge of hotels, especially, and how very very little they work FOR the CMs, and mainly just do stuff to please the Union itself. Quite interesting, and mind-boggling...but it seems, from reading those posts, that the people in those protests aren't always actual CMs....

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

Teehee... Not only was it from last year, but since today is the 17th, it would have been a newspaper article from the Future!!! I wonder if Marty McFly brought it?

 

[FlameGirl]

Teehee... Not only was it from last year, but since today is the 17th, it would have been a newspaper article from the Future!!! I wonder if Marty McFly brought it?

Actually the article that I read was dated the 15th of August.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1045159/Cinderella-Snow-White-Mickey-Mouse-arrested-police-clash-staff-Disneyland.html

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

Bah, you're right, my bad. For some reason my mind threw another 8 in place of the 5 on 15. I sitll wish Marty McFly was my newsboy...

 

[MyMonkies]

Well, I had never heard it before, lol.

 

[FlameGirl]

 

[NostalgicDad]

FWIW, during our stay last month the protesters actually were out in force one day and had a truck parked across the southbound lanes of Harbor Blvd right at the main entrance and the road was shut down by police. There was quite a bit of commotion going on.

 

[pinktink83]

I think thats horrible! What a sad sight for innocent children to have to see. I don't care if theyre being paid in Pesos, that was low. If they want to protest, fine, but don't sully the image of Mickey and the princesses for all the unsuspecting kids and families who are there to make memories and have fun. It seems like picketing is the new way to bully more wages than your education and experience warrant.

 

[FlameGirl]

Well, I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers by posting that.

I'm not sure what you mean by "the last name". If you look at the images, the "mickey" protester didn't look much like Mickey Mouse at all. An easy explanation to little ones might be along the same lines as when you see countless "Santas" outside of retail places at Xmas time. They're just helpers, not the "real" Mickey or Princesses.

I might take the opportunity to explain things to my daughter (she's 10...probably old enough to understand it in a vague sense). Freedom of speech, civil disobedience, etc.

And then go have fun the rest of the day.

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

Or with that particular incident, I find it completely appropriate to say "You know those people who are out there making all that noise? It's not really Cinderella. It's like Halloween when you dress up. That's what that lady is doing."

Not sure if the pictures are still on the article, but definitely would find it hard to believe (even as a child) that one guy was actually Mickey Mouse himself. Heck, the Cinderella too.

 

[bumbershoot]

FWIW, during our stay last month the protesters actually were out in force one day and had a truck parked across the southbound lanes of Harbor Blvd right at the main entrance and the road was shut down by police. There was quite a bit of commotion going on.

If you were to google "mouseplanet union" you might find a thread from July about the stuff behind it. Includes some info about how it wasn't mainly CMs, etc...also gives info on the actual problems and the union...

 

[Albort]

yeah, the Hotel Union has been protesting ever since. They currently have a big banner on Disneyland Drive in front of grand California.

What ive been told is that 99% of the ppl actually arrest arent even CMs...

I am also told that its the Union that wont go negotiate with Disney... so Disney cant really do much...