Disney World

The president of the union that represents workers at three Disneyland hotels criticized Disney’s contract negotiation efforts in front of Anaheim City Council on Tuesday, accusing Disney of trying to exact “political payback.” Ada Briceño, the president of UNITE HERE 681, said the union provides a voice for the resort’s hotel workers and that “Disney wants to stifle that voice.” “Disney’s stance could actually lead to unrest in Anaheim,” Briceño said. The current contract expires at 12 a.m. Friday. A Disneyland spokesman denied the company had done anything out of the ordinary during talks, saying that Disney management had been making overtures to union officials since early December and had involved a federal labor mediator in talks. “We’re disappointed the leadership of 681 is trying to negotiate this contract in the media and at a City Council meeting,” said Rob Doughty, Disneyland’s vice president of communication, in a phone interview. The union, one of 24 at the park, represents about 2,300 room attendants, cooks and dishwashers at Disneyland’s Grand California, Paradise Pier and Disneyland Hotel in-park lodgings. Negotiations are usually finished months in advance of contract expiration, Disney officials said. Briceño also said that the contract negotiations are being held off-site at venues with limited parking and other drawbacks that make it hard for rank-and-file members to attend. “It’s not uncommon for negotiations to be held at a neutral site,” Doughty countered. Briceño also claimed that because the union sided with housing advocates in the drawn-out resort housing debate last year, Disney was punishing union members. She said what she sees as reluctance by Disney contract negotiators amounts to “political payback.” Developer SunCal wanted to put a housing development in the resort-zoned area near Disneyland, a proposal Disneyland fought strongly. The dispute has died down lately, considering SunCal has ceased its attempts to develop the area. Doughty said, however, that the current dispute has nothing to do with the union’s political stance. “This is only about the negotiations, and that’s all it’s about,” he said.

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