Disney union leaders take contract protest to NYC

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OrlandoSentinel.com

About 60 union leaders handed out pink leaflets complaining about protracted contract negotiations with Walt Disney World outside the grand opening of the World of Disney store in New York today.

As a worker dressed as Cinderella rode up to the New York store in a carriage, the union officials crossed the street and passed out the leaflets that read, "Disney cast members need your help!" The leaflets urged people waiting in line outside the store to contact Disney's chief negotiator "and tell him what you think of the company's treatment of their employees."

Union leaders also chanted, "People who work shouldn't have to be poor."

The goal of the leafleting was to raise awareness about the contract talks in front of a large number of reporters covering the store's grand opening and to pressure Disney World officials to improve wage increases and benefits being offered, union leaders said.

"We knew we had to do something to get the company's attention," said Juleeann Jerkovich, secretary-treasurer of the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union Local 1625, which is one of six unions that make up the Service Trades Council Union. "It's time to take this out of Orlando."

The Service Trades Council Union represents about 22,000 workers ranging from hotel maids to park ticket-takers to costumed characters at the Disney parks and hotels in Florida, whose work force has more than 50,000 people.

Last week, members rejected a contract proposal from Disney that union officials said eliminated some overtime provisions, increased health care insurance significantly and got rid of a pension plan for new hires, offering them a matching 401k plan instead. Starting minimum wage in the first year of the contract would increase 10 cents to $6.80 with 10 cent increases in each of the next two years, union officials said.

Disney and union officials have been negotiating the three-year contract for six months. Talks resume next week.

Disney World spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the contract offer was competitive.

"We're disappointed that the union decided to protest in New York City," Polak said. "A better use of their time would have been spent at the negotiating table. We were prepared to return to talks this week but they went to New York City."

The World of Disney store opened in the same spot where a Disney Store closed its doors in May. The revamped store, based on ones at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California and offering entertainment experiences such as jewelry-making, marks a new direction in Disney's retailing efforts.

Polak said the grand opening was a success.