Strike at WDW

[walter]

I read on the "rumors" board that there is the potential of the CM's at WDW going on strike soon. Are the CM's at the DVC resorts in the same union as the balance of WDW? If so, could this strike have a signifcant effect on services at the DVC resorts?

 

[lenshanem]

What? Haven't heard about this. Do you have any links?

 

[PamOKW]

I haven't got any knowledge of a pending strike or which CMs are involved. However, if the WDW resort employees are unionized I'm sure the DVC resorts are included.

 

[MiaSRN62]

There was mention of it on Mouseplanet website :
http://www.mouseplanet.com/parkupdates/wdw/wdw041004.htm

 

[AmyBeth68]

uh-oh, that doesn't sound good! Thanks for the link .

 

[Chuck S]

It was pointed on the Rumors board out that FL is a "Right to Work" state, meaning that employees are not required to join to union for employment, unlike Disneyland in California. It is much harder for unions to strike in Right to Work states, strikes are normally short lived and accomplish very little in the long run.

I agree with many of the CMs concerns, especially the health care issue, but the reality is that strikes are not very practical in Right to Work states and while the unons will "not rule out the possibility", there is not any strike action planned at this time.

 

[tjkraz]

Chuck S is right. You've also got people in the college program and other classes of employees who are not eligible to join the union.

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

While it's true Florida is a "Right to Work" state, and all employees are not required to join to union for employment. They for the most part will not cross a UNION PICKET LINE. (I wouldn't) So you will have a large number of the non-union members honoring the strike, because the results will effect the money of the non-union employees. Hoping both sides will come to an agreement soon.

 

[LibertyBelle]

Yes DVC is included in the Union as the CM's are Disney Cast Members. As was pointed out Florida is a right to work state so for WDW there are about 22,000 Union members (vs the over 55,000 CM's). As I am a Union memeber I am not going to go into too much detail, but I will say don't worry to much about it. We were in the same position in 1998 (just after AK opened), they were border line striking then as well and Disney came back with a decent offer. Hopefully this time it will play out the same.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Many people are not familiar with labor laws, and thus misspeak when talking about unionization and strikes.

1) Forget what you might hear.
2) The union won't go on strike.
3) They can't afford to
4) There are some other tactics, but the union wouldn't dare
5) Non-strike (non-picket) actions would lead to disaster for the union.
6) And a strike would break up the union
7) A few other CM's might not cross a line, but MOST would cross

8) The facts are simple
. . . they can't picket on company property
. . . thus, they could only picket at the main highway
. . . visitors would probably not even see the pickets
. . . if they did, they couldn't block the highway
. . . thus, crossing a line is not hard
. . . there would be replacement workers lined up FAST
. . . temporary replacement workers could be hired quickly
. . . the company could issue an ultimatum, then fire strikers
. . . temp workers would then become permanent
. . . union workers come back only as temps leave (likely)
. . . other WDW employees not crossing a line could be fired
. . . guests would not give up WDW to honor a picket line
. . . even other union workers would cross for a vacation
. . . without economic harm, a strike is not productive


NOTE: At some companies in Right-to-Work states, a strike might work, but at amusement parks in Florida, a strike would cripple or greatly weaken the union. There are just too many people willing to take the strikers' place. If this was not the case, the union would have struck WDW long ago.

 

[kathleena]

If you read the article carefully it says:

"The union plans to demonstrate at the opening of the new World of Disney store on New York City's Fifth Avenue tomorrow. While the union is not currently planning a strike, they have refused to rule it out. There has never before been a strike at Walt Disney World."

They are in contract negotiations, which is not the same as "Strike at WDW".