Strike in Disneyland

[joanne1968]

I have just been reading mice chat and there is a possiblity of a strike at DL. Can anybody tell me of the likely effect on my impending holiday?

 

[wdwstar]

If this is true i would like to know too ? Possible when will they strike ?

 

[AFMom]

Wow - that'd be bad. hasn't that happened before when Walt was still around?

 

[THEDISFANS]

Yes a major strike did happen when walt was still around. Thats when the studio workers got a union. I don't know if the park workers belong to a union

 

[AFMom]

I'm pretty sure the full-time employees do - not sure about the employees that are only there seasonally......
You have to wonder what would happen there now. It was huge when it happened before (looked it up) - said to be the turning point in the "magic" - although for me it's as magical as ever because I wasn't around then!
I'm sure in LA they could find plenty of people to cross the lines and work - but working at DL isn't the same as working somewhere else, and there's no way they'd have time to really screen and train the CM's the way we expect them to be! I'm sure the striking employees are well aware of that.
I have heard the benefits there are pretty under-par, and the pay is low. I believe the consensus there is you don't work there for the money - you work there becuase you love it. Sad - because you'd think the WDComplany could afford to pay well. And holding on to good CM's should be a priority.
Well - I'm ranting about something i really don't know much at all about.......

 

[joanne1968]

This is all hearsay at the moment so don't want to cause a riot.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

I have heard the benefits there are pretty under-par, and the pay is low. I believe the consensus there is you don't work there for the money - you work there becuase you love it. Sad - because you'd think the WDComplany could afford to pay well. And holding on to good CM's should be a priority.

I auditioned for WDW character role before. I remember being shown the pay scales and thinking Are they serious? I'm going to have to waitress and work retail just to make end's meet! For WDW, security is paid the highest and that's still under $10/hour. Benefits are not stellar, or even existent in some cases.

Within the executive branches, pay is good. Just takes a lot to get up there. DH sent about 25 resumes to Disney for different positions. Even knowing someone who knows Eisner and Roy Disney, he never got a call back. They promote from within. Just takes a lot of years and a lot of persistence.

 

[LeftCoaster]

The potential strike that may happen is with the attractions CM's. Each area seems to have its own union. I believe the new contract comes up for a vote on March 15th. The friends that I've talked to that are CM's, don't seem overly concerned at this point.

 

[joanne1968]

Thank you leftcoaster, that is encouraging

 

[newfamilyman]

There is a lot of information out there on the potential strike on other web pages. I'd recommend reading some of the recent MousePlanet DLR updates and Al's column on Miceage. You won't necessarily find it reassuring, but if you're interested in the background, it's available at those sites.

 

[GreenGirl8]

Just don't take everything you read at truth. A lot of the information on different sites are rumoured and bias.

I do know that the resort is training people to take over attractions if the strike does happen. It most likely won't happen, but if it does, I believe Disneyland will be prepared.

 

[joanne1968]

Thanks greengirl, a lot of time money and planning has gone into my trip, and I will be gutted if anything affects it.

 

[disneychrista]

I am sure that this is not the entire story but from what I have read on MiceChat and Mouseplanet CM's are upset over being asked to work their scheduled shift, come in on time, not call in sick (overly) and that FT benefits are being set at 30hrs/week up from 25hrs/week. IMO none of this is all that different then other employeers. The problem is that they haven't been enforcing policy's that they have in effect. And now they are trying to CM's don't like it.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Management wants to make the minimum hours worked in order to get benifits higher (I think it's 25 and management wants to make it 30). Pay is not an issue at this time nor is Presentiseem (being *forced* to work your scheduled shift).

 

[disneychrista]

Management wants to make the minimum hours worked in order to get benifits higher (I think it's 25 and management wants to make it 30). Pay is not an issue at this time nor is Presentiseem (being *forced* to work your scheduled shift).

30 hours is pretty much the norm. I know that our insurance company's won't cover our employees that do not work at least 30 hours a week.

 

[joanne1968]

I didn't really mean to get into the whys and wherefores of the strike here, I wanted to know the likelihood of it and how it would affect me, selfish I know.

But I think one of the problems is that the staff need to do the hours for a minimum amount of weeks and Disney change their hours around so that it is not acheivable all year around. That may be taken out of context.

 

[disneychrista]

I didn't really mean to get into the whys and wherefores of the strike here, I wanted to know the likelihood of it and how it would affect me, selfish I know.

No one really knows for sure if there will or will not be a strike. But at this time they are training management and those in administration as back ups. From what I hear, it is not going too well though.

 

[MrsMork]

Yes a major strike did happen when walt was still around. Thats when the studio workers got a union. I don't know if the park workers belong to a union

I took a Disney training class a few years ago and the trainer told us that at WDW at that time they were dealing with 34 different unions.

 

[caimakale]

I am not "panicking" by any means. But not understanding unions very well, I have some questions.

First, this possible meeting on May 15 (if it doesn't get worked out prior to the date), if the workers don't get what they want and decide to strike, will they start the strike on May 16 or does it usually take longer to start?

If a strike does occur, can I operate tower of terror for a day?

I will be at Disneyland on May 15 - 20. Some advice I always offer for other travelers is to purchase trip insurance. Most policies will cover lost baggage, natural disasters, deaths in the family, and yes....strikes. I do have insurance, that's why I am not worried...just curious.

 

[mickeysgal]

If a strike does occur, can I operate tower of terror for a day?