For the record, I'm not arguing about whether striking is or is not a good idea for the CMs, only that they have every right to do so, and it doesn't make them the bad guys in this negotiation, any more than Disney refusing to improve their offer makes them the bad guys.
DB, I agree 100%.
My father was also on strike for a long period of time, back in the late 70's. I wasn't old enough to really get what was going on, but I do remember it stunk. I'm pretty sure we didn't gain enough from company concessions to make up for the 10 months or so of lost wages.
But that doesn't mean a strike is never necessary. For younger workers, they just might make up that difference, and certainly future workers will be in a better place because of it. If the strike is relatively short, all workers may end up ahead.
We all know why unions started. And its been pointed out that there are other protections in place for workers. Some have concluded that this makes Unions and strikes obsolete.
I could not disagree more. No, if unions were abolished, conditions would not revert back to the early days of the industrial revolution. But if you think a significant number of companies would not take advantage of the workers' decreased leverage, you are mistaken.
I don't know enough about this situation to judge who is really being the hard rear in this case. But I do know that there are bad unions, and there are bad companies. To make blanket judgments about when tactics are justified is taking far to narrow a view of these types of situations.
***"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.
C'mon now... Work slowdowns? Are you suggesting that CMs start making our food slower? Take longer to give us change? Purposely load rides slower? Besides getting berated by incensed guests, anyone who truly believes in Walt's vision wouldn't be able to allow themselves to do this. Many believe you either do your job right or you don't do it.
I'd hope that many at Disney have that attitude.
Blue flu? With so many hourly employees, I don't think this would be very wise. It would essentially be a mini-strike, and if Disney is willing to deal with a full scale strike, I'm sure they could withstand some extra CMs calling in sick.
Refusal of overtime? Most companies are trying to minimize overtime, and I'm sure that's the case with Disney... that's one reason for having so many hourlies working 20-30 hours a week. (not the only reason, of course). Likely wouldn't cause Disney much concern.
Going to the media? Isn't that what they are doing now, through their union reps? If Disney actually lets them go on strike, it would be a pretty good indication that they weren't too concerned about the public's perception of their employees' working conditions/benefits.
Again, there are good and bad unions, just as there are good and bad companies. I'm honestly not sure if one side really shares more blame than the other in this case, but I do know it ALWAYS takes two to make an agreement, and there are just as many pig-headed company negotiators out there as there are pig-headed union negotiators.
Would someone who is pro-picketing please let me know what use it has besides putting pressure on the employer by intentionally trying to hamper their business.
If done properly, it merely makes customers aware of the situation, allowing them to make an informed decision, if they choose to do so.
Note that I'm not talking about physically obstructing customers or workers, or verbally berating anyone. All to which I am adamantly opposed.
