Disney faces costumed employees in labor dispute

Posted Aug 18th 2008 6:30AM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Employees, Scandals, Walt Disney (DIS)

It was a publicity nightmare for the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS): Tinkerbell, Snow White, Pinocchio, and Minnie Mouse being handcuffed and hauled away from Disneyland in a police van.

32 costumed protesters were arrested for failing to obey a police order and traffic violations on Thursday. The protest was part of a labor dispute involving 2,300 workers at Disney's hotels: the Paradise Pier, the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel.

The union's contract expired in February, and workers complain that the new offer from Disney management would make health care unaffordable and, according to the president of Unite Here Local 681, workers are comparable local hotels make $2-3 an hour more. You can read the details of the dispute here.

I can't imagine that stuff like this is good for traffic at Disneyland: imagine showing up for a day of fun rides with your family, only to have your 4-year old ask why Mickey and Goofy are being hauled off in handcuffs!

A Disney spokesman told the USA Today that "Publicity stunts are not productive and are extremely disruptive to the resort district."

But won't disrupting the resort district "encourage" Disney to meet its workers' demands? If so, that sounds productive to me!

Tags: DIS, Disney, Labor, Unions

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-18-2008 @ 9:17AM

Mike Sanders said...

It is an honor, to work at Disneyland. Many of the benefits are not tangible... I worked at Six-Flags over Mid-America, in 1974. I worked 6 hours a day, 6 days a week and made $1.80 / hour, without any other form of tangible benefits. Granted, it was 1974 and gas was cheaper, but I had to drive 36 miles, one-way! Guess what? What I gained in experience and the friendships I made, were priceless. Fire these people and I guarentee that there are others, who would consider it an honor and a chance of a lifetime, to work at Disney.