Labor Unrest at DLR Hotels

[dbanderson3]

Disney and its DLR union hotel workers have been at odds for quite some time now. MousePlanet is reporting this morning that housekeeping has staged a walkout at the Disneyland Hotel over treatment of 2 employees and a massive picket line has been set up at the Paradise Pier hotel.

[Engine74]

From what I know from some of the other union locals that are at DL, the pres. of the union local that has the hotel is trying to make a name for herself. I have heard through the grape vine that the head of that union is not happy with her and the other unions at the DL Resort are trying to push her in the right way but it is not helping. I know other parts of the Resort got good new contracts, they can always be better, while she was pulling her stunts last year. One thing the way the resort area is set up now it is hard for them to put up an picket line that would affect the parks. Let's all hope some cooler heads will take over.

[Desert Disney Dude]

Their has been picketers front of the Grand Cali for some time now by the front gate, seems Disney should've took care of this quietly before it turned into this.

[Engine74]

Their has been picketers front of the Grand Cali for some time now by the front gate, seems Disney should've took care of this quietly before it turned into this.

That would be an information picket. Since the workers are not locked out or on strike. Like I had said before they have a union local pres. that is trying to be a big fish by going up against Disney. From what I have read and heard on the matter she is not even trying to negotiate with them. She is trying to do it through the media. that is ok if things are not going good at the table, but when you are not even going to the table that is not a good thing. I do hope this get settled one way or the other.

[dbanderson3]

The second walkout in a week of the DLR hotels is occurring right now. Managerment and Supervisors are filling in for the employees (when there is a labor dispute in seems inappropriate to call them castmembers) who have walked out. Hope they know how to make a bed. All I know is for the rates they charge to stay in their hotels (including "resort fees"), I sure wouldn't any of this to intrude 1 inch into my stay...


Back to work.......it was a brief walkout by about 100 workers according MousePlanet

[skitch76]

This may not be the place to discuss it, but y'know, I just don't have much use for unions. And when I see people picketing, my first thought isn't "oh no, how unfairly they must have been treated"; it's more like, "oh Lord, what are they picketing about now?"

I've never been in a union or had any personal experience w/one, so I probably don't have much room to talk about it. All I know is my dad had to be in one when he was still working and he used to tell stories of people trying to cross the picket line and the strikers would bang on the car and get fairly violent and threatening...using fear to make you stick together w/your union brethren. Sounds like a tamed-down mob to me. And then my brother runs a warehouse where he has to deal with unions too and he says it's just a pain. I forget how but whenever they get involved, it creates a great big headache for him. So between those 2, I hope I don't ever have to join a union in order to work somewhere.

Anyone here pro-union? Are they still as useful as they were back in the day? I don't mean that to sound mean...I'm really asking. In other words, if there were none, would employers go back to being unfair to their workers? I always thought there were enough fairness laws in place, and so we didn't need them any more, but I guess you need someone to be sort of the watchdog and make sure the laws & regulations are being followed...

[dbanderson3]

This may not be the place to discuss it, but y'know, I just don't have much use for unions. And when I see people picketing, my first thought isn't "oh no, how unfairly they must have been treated"; it's more like, "oh Lord, what are they picketing about now?"

I've never been in a union or had any personal experience w/one, so I probably don't have much room to talk about it. All I know is my dad had to be in one when he was still working and he used to tell stories of people trying to cross the picket line and the strikers would bang on the car and get fairly violent and threatening...using fear to make you stick together w/your union brethren. Sounds like a tamed-down mob to me. And then my brother runs a warehouse where he has to deal with unions too and he says it's just a pain. I forget how but whenever they get involved, it creates a great big headache for him. So between those 2, I hope I don't ever have to join a union in order to work somewhere.

Anyone here pro-union? Are they still as useful as they were back in the day? I don't mean that to sound mean...I'm really asking. In other words, if there were none, would employers go back to being unfair to their workers? I always thought there were enough fairness laws in place, and so we didn't need them any more, but I guess you need someone to be sort of the watchdog and make sure the laws & regulations are being followed...

You probably won't find an easy answer on this one. Like politics, religion, and sports, opinions (and strong opinions) will run all over map. A lot actually depends on where you live as to how much power and influence unions can have on a community. There are high marks for unions for police, firefighters, nurses, and teachers. You can also make a case that unions made a large contribution to the demize of the American automibile industry.

For this particuliar thread, the news only relates that protests, pickets, walkouts, and such really have difficult juxtiposition to the "happiest place on earth" as Disneyland likes to claim. The protesters have also been known to dress up in hideous Disney character costumes that is kind of tough to explain to small children. They really need to get this settled for it has been going on far too long.

[Engine74]

This may not be the place to discuss it, but y'know, I just don't have much use for unions. And when I see people picketing, my first thought isn't "oh no, how unfairly they must have been treated"; it's more like, "oh Lord, what are they picketing about now?"

I've never been in a union or had any personal experience w/one, so I probably don't have much room to talk about it. All I know is my dad had to be in one when he was still working and he used to tell stories of people trying to cross the picket line and the strikers would bang on the car and get fairly violent and threatening...using fear to make you stick together w/your union brethren. Sounds like a tamed-down mob to me. And then my brother runs a warehouse where he has to deal with unions too and he says it's just a pain. I forget how but whenever they get involved, it creates a great big headache for him. So between those 2, I hope I don't ever have to join a union in order to work somewhere.

Anyone here pro-union? Are they still as useful as they were back in the day? I don't mean that to sound mean...I'm really asking. In other words, if there were none, would employers go back to being unfair to their workers? I always thought there were enough fairness laws in place, and so we didn't need them any more, but I guess you need someone to be sort of the watchdog and make sure the laws & regulations are being followed...

Just like anything there are good and bad points. To be short Unions are still needed and will always be needed. They even help the jobs that are not unionized since the owner will give the workers a little more to keep the unions out. When there is a picket line people will do things you do not think they normally would. being out there not getting paid for a few weeks or months will put people on edge. The labor laws that are in place today were done by unions pushing for them to happen. As for what is a pain to your brother it might just be the contract that makes it a pain. If you don't know how it works it can be a problem. Am I pro-union? I am a union member and a shop steward. I have seen the good they do and know how bad things can be if they are not there. I am pro what's best for me, sometimes it is what the union wants sometimes not. I am have no problem telling the high ups in the union, not just the local but national Pres. that they are way off and wrong when I think so. I have went against the grain a few times but they know I am not a yes man and will tell them like it is. It helps keep their feet on the ground and remember who they are working for, me the and the other members. I think this is a good place to talk about as long as it is kept informitive and no bashing by anyone that is what forums are for.

[dbanderson3]

Just like anything there are good and bad points. To be short Unions are still needed and will always be needed. They even help the jobs that are not unionized since the owner will give the workers a little more to keep the unions out. When there is a picket line people will do things you do not think they normally would. being out there not getting paid for a few weeks or months will put people on edge. The labor laws that are in place today were done by unions pushing for them to happen. As for what is a pain to your brother it might just be the contract that makes it a pain. If you don't know how it works it can be a problem. Am I pro-union? I am a union member and a shop steward. I have seen the good they do and know how bad things can be if they are not there. I am pro what's best for me, sometimes it is what the union wants sometimes not. I am have no problem telling the high ups in the union, not just the local but national Pres. that they are way off and wrong when I think so. I have went against the grain a few times but they know I am not a yes man and will tell them like it is. It helps keep their feet on the ground and remember who they are working for, me the and the other members. I think this is a good place to talk about as long as it is kept informitive and no bashing by anyone that is what forums are for.

I very much agree....There's a Hong Kong Disney park. There will soon be a Shag-hai Disney park. What if someone said, we'll just move Imagineering over to China just because the development and programming it takes to get a park, a ride, an attraction is cheaper (much cheaper)? I have worked in the technical end of things for 25 years or more. So who cares if the the development takes 8 tries overseas before they get things right?.

[dbanderson3]

After two years of constant battling and demonstrations Disney and the hotel workers union have agreed to go to before a federal mediator for arbitration. Check out the story in the OCR Register Disney blog. The accompanying photo slideshow is interesting as well. Not every day you see a guy in a Mickey costume being handcuffed.

http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/