WDW STRIKE Date Set For Firday November 19

[wilki32]

Maybe I'm the wrong person to be having an opinion on this, I don't know the background, except what I have read here and I'm from the UK but
The 70's and the early 80's were very bad here for strikes but what did it get those men and women, colds, houses repossessed and deserted towns and villages but they 'fought' for their rights! Whilst the union bosses were mostly chauffeur driven to the next pickett line! I think only a few will win from this and it certainly won't be the workers.
Maybe I am a bit biassed in this as my father was a manager of a factory when the unions were at full strength in this country, I watched as a young boy my father go from the 'fun' Dad to a withdrawn character who was never at home whilst the union 'representatives' walked around with smug grins and making remarks about my father (which I did witness).
I know not all union bosses are like this but the way the letter from the business agent has been written I think this is what we have here.

If we do go out on strike I will be standing with you at the parks

On full pay?

I can assure you that no Outside Teamster Organization (i.e. UPS & Trucking companies among others) will cross the picket line to make deliveries to Walt Disney World

How can he be so sure, are these people going to be potentially sacked or disciplined for the sake of somebody elses cause? Unlikely.

Scab, why are the scabs, I think I've read that over 2,000 people have voted against action, are they all scabs? No just people that want to work, hell, they may even enjoy it.

Anyway I've probably pushed my opinion too much but one thing I am sure of is that Disney will 'win' and another is that I will be arriving on the 27th Nov and I WILL be having a good time.

Anthony

 

[DancingBear]

Interesting that the union messages don't give any examples of "unfair labor practices", only about the negotiating points they aren't getting from Disney, and yet they plan to claim their strike is over "unfair labor practices" so that Disney can't permanently replace the strikers.

fantasmic_01's message is revealing---if others will cross the picket lines and do your job for less money, then (in a right-to-work state like Florida, at least) you really have no bargaining power.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"Teamster strike pay is ten times your hourly rate per week."***

Wow.......that'll make for a great holiday.

After all is said and done, the only real losers will be those holding the picket signs.

 

[angel*lady]

Originally posted by dennis99ss
zulaya, some people believe they are entitled to benefits, no matter the cost. Of course, when you don't pay the health care costs, since the employer does, you really don't care. (General you) Off my soapbox. I get to pay health premiums before I get a paycheck, but, its an entitlement. I would say strike away....Let them hire workers who are happy with the pay and benefits.

I agree! It seems like so many union members think that it is all "rosey" in the open market. My employer doesn't even offer health benefits at all - whether or not I pay for it. My husband is self employed and we pay a small fortune for health insurance! When he still worked for a company, he didn't get a raise for over 3 years and employee heath insurance costs got higher and the company paid less and less. (This was a large national company.)

Personally I question the value of unions today. A good friend of mine was a very loyal union member (postal worker) and touted the party line that the union was there to watch out for her best interests. Well, when she really needed the intervention of the union they just shrugged their shoulders and said "not my problem". Makes you wonder what all those dues were paying for. Personally, I'd rather save my money and fend for myself.

Now I am going to get off my soap box! All that said, I hope that all will be peaceful in "the Kingdom" very soon!

 

[Mark P.]

Might be wishful thinking here, but because last Thursday's vote to turn down Disney's offer was so close, my gut feeling is that most CM's can't afford or don't wish to strike, and will ultimately vote yes this Thursday (11/18).
I belong to a pretty big union here in NJ, and to be honest, most of the members don't trust what the union leaders have to say whatsoever.
Most, inluding myself, think they have their own agendas, and once they get into a union leadership position, they've got nothing to lose by stirring the pot, at the members' expense.

 

[Rneighh]

Since Unions were first started because employees were being treated as indentured servants -- had to shop at the company store, work 7 days a week for long hours ect................

Well those days are gone. Unions should be a thing of past. I think Disney should hold out and those jobs can and will be replaced.

Go ahead and flame me!!

Renee

 

[m&m's mom]

Originally posted by Rneighh
Since Unions were first started because employees were being treated as indentured servants -- had to shop at the company store, work 7 days a week for long hours ect................

Well those days are gone. Unions should be a thing of past. I think Disney should hold out and those jobs can and will be replaced.

Go ahead and flame me!!

Renee

No flaming here. I totally agree!
I was not all that concerned until I read the part about no other companies crossing picket lines. This might be interesting come a week from nw.
Oh well- We WILL be there anyway. No one is going to intimidate me into not coming.

 

[wtpclc]

I wouldn't count on support from the other teamsters. Disney is too big and unions aren't what they used to be. Especially in a right to work state.

Does anyone know what the mediator actually decided?

 

[tfc3rid]

I was down in Atlantic City during the 25 day (or so) hotel workers strike and absolutely had no problems passing by the picket line often to go in and gamble or eat at my favorite casino.

However, it did cause major inconveniences to those people who could care less about a strike.

What always burns me about these strikes is that the employees are the ones who suffer... The union fat cats could care less. The truth is they don't really care about the best interests of employees, they care about extoring companies to line their own wallets...

I hope this doesnt get to this pointbut of course you have to expec the worse...

 

[TimandTanya]

I couldn't agree more. Unions were made to stop long exhausting days, sweat shops, unsafe work conditions. The government has fixed that with OSHA, EEOC, etc.

Unions WERE a vital part of our history, but enough is enough. Go out and EARN your raise IE: more education, work harder, etc.

I have a family member, who has a ninth grade education, but because he knows how to weld, and pays union dues, makes $20+ an hour. That is so ridiculous!!!!

I hear DIS board members complaining about renovations in the parks. How in the world are they supposed to renovate, when they have to pay a housekeeper $15.00/hr, plus all benefits, retirement, etc.?

If the CM's are grouchy, or disgruntled, QUIT!! Walmart is always hiring, or maybe the local supermarket needs midnight stockers.

I am going to DW soon, and if one CM tries to engage in conversation with me about this mess, I pity the day he/she was born.

 

[DancingBear]

Originally posted by TimandTanya
I have a family member, who has a ninth grade education, but because he knows how to weld, and pays union dues, makes $20+ an hour. That is so ridiculous!!!!

I don't see this as any more ridiculous than when others complain about low pay rates. Your family member is getting what the market says the value of his labor is worth, 9th grade education or not---as you say, he has a saleable skill.

 

[Gathrn]

I agree that they are a thing of the past. I just can not understand how someone who has no right to the assets of a buisness can try to strong arm a buisness into changing the habbits of a buisness. By definition of a free economy, wouldnt a buisness pay a standard wage or naturally see their employies migrate elsewhere to standard wage paying jobs?
By my thinking if they wanted a bigger peice of any profits to be had, wouldn't you buy stock?

 

[luvalldisney]

I am a FL public employee who belongs to the union (afl/cio), because we are public employees the law says we do not have the right to stike. Due to poor contract practices I have walked many picket lines, watching truckers delivering ups, post office, office max, etc. right through our picket lines. Bus drivers beeped their horns and others cheered us on, but did not stop their regular deliveries. Our picket lines were done on our time not when we were 'on the clock' . After 2 years of failed negotiations, eventually contract talks resumed and a compromise was made with both sides. I will be up to dw next week and plan on walking right past any picket line even though I am a member of the afl/cio. I will not let my union membership stop me from enjoying my holiday or dictate where I can or can not go. I am sure many others on holiday feel the same way. Unions have their place but striking is not going to do anything but line the pockets of the union bosses. How can you be so sure that teamsters (members of the afl/cio) will honor your picket lines? I doubt I am in the minority. While it is perfectly fine to be at odds over a contract, striking does not do anything to the mother company, but does hurt the workers. Perhaps I am not putting this message in the right forum, but IMHO a strike is wrong.

 

[KNWVIKING]

IMO, when the union bosses call for a strike it's nothing more then a sign of their poor negotiating skills.

Ever hear of a union telling it's members "hey, we asked for a quater an hour, the company offered 0.15, so we'll drop your dues by $4.00 a week to make up the difference" ?????

Didn't think so.

 

[DancingBear]

Originally posted by Gathrn
I agree that they are a thing of the past. I just can not understand how someone who has no right to the assets of a buisness can try to strong arm a buisness into changing the habbits of a buisness. By definition of a free economy, wouldnt a buisness pay a standard wage or naturally see their employies migrate elsewhere to standard wage paying jobs?
By my thinking if they wanted a bigger peice of any profits to be had, wouldn't you buy stock?

Are only top executives allowed to negotiate for higher compensation and better benefits? Do executives have a "right to the assets of a business" any more than line workers do? Would you condemn Matt Ouimett if, when it comes time to negotiate his compensation, he asks for a raise or additional perks?

This is just a negotiation, an example of the free economy at work (particularly in a right-to-work state). The only effective tool labor has in negotiations is to withhold their services. They have every right to use that tool, and their employers have every right to use the legal tools available to them. Ultimately, the CMs will be paid their worth in the market.

 

[DancingBear]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
IMO, when the union bosses call for a strike it's nothing more then a sign of their poor negotiating skills.

Negotiating "skills" are not nearly as important as bargaining power. What bargaining power do the union leaders have in negotiations if the threat of a strike is not behind it?

 

[Gathrn]

Are only top executives allowed to negotiate for higher compensation and better benefits?
top execs argue that their salery is not what the market warrents by negotiating for better pay and benefits. They do this using the threat of leaving the company to work at another company that would pay them what they were asking... this is done fairly regularly, however I do not know of an Executive who picketed their company because his compensation was unfair.

Do executives have a "right to the assets of a business" any more than line workers do?
This is a good question. I would argue that they do. I would not expect a gardener who was told when and where to garden to claim ownership of a garden just because he was paid to work on it.
The Executives in this case do have acting ownership of the buisness assets and if they are not performing as they are expected to they will be delt with. They are givin "rights to the assests of a buissness" by the stockholders who trust that the assests will be taken care of in a proper manner.

Would you condemn Matt Ouimett if, when it comes time to negotiate his compensation, he asks for a raise or additional perks?
I would not condem him if he reviews the current market and wants to adjust his salery to match. (surprisingly this seems to only work one way, up...) In the event that Disney finds his wants unreasonable, I would expect him to quit and work for another company that would be able to meet his expectations. I do not expect to find him pickiting outside Disneyland saying the salery he agreed to was unfair.

What this comes down to is the simple premise of the fact that if a company is not paying the market value for an employee, the employee has every right to point this out, and ultimatly leave. That will hurt the company if it is not paying market wages as the company wil not be able to hire competent employees and has the added costs associated with the hireing/training process.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"What bargaining power do the union leaders have in negotiations if the threat of a strike is not behind it?"***

Work slowdowns. Blue Flu. Refusal of overtime. Going to the media.

 

[meiandrew]

Just found this article:

http://www.wftv.com/employment/3927269/detail.html

 

[Cris]

I am pretty sure it will go through this time, they stalled this vote for 8 months so they could use the scare tactics of it being so close to Christmas. The other 4 unions are encouraging to vote Yes as well. And two other are wanting to strike.