Employee Unions?

Have the seasonal (i.e. Ride Op/Sweep/Etc) employees of any amusement park created or attempted to create a union? What came of it? Does anybody have any information at all on this? There has been alot of discussion of it lately among employees at a certain park, and I'm curious if it's been done and if it COULD BE done. Thanks guys...

**name withheld this time LOL**

Unions are mostly a northern phenomena, so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the parks in the northeast and midwest have unionized seasonal employees. I know that Disney has unionized attendents, but I really doubt their union could do much to the company (I think it's probably pretty weak).

Most places would fire employees who tried to organize a union. Corporations generally do not want unions.

-----------------
the member formerly known as MisterX

I don't think it is much to worry about. Like General Public said, they would most likely fire the employees who tried to do such a thing.

Were you thinking of Major League Baseball when you posted this topic, Big Al? ;)

-----------------
The ice age killed the dinosaurs, we killed ourselves.

You cannot fire employees for trying to organize a union... you also cannot make up some excuse and blame it on that. You can bet that you'd be sued, the employee would be reinstated, and you'll be the bad guy... guess how everyone else is gonna vote now.

People don't go to unions just for fun. They don't pay dues just for the status of saying they're in "local whatever." They go there because they feel that they're not being treated right. Pay them what they're worth, and give them the respect they deserve. The best way to avoid a union organization is to treat your employees right in the first place.

-----------------
"When I was growing up, we were taught something called manners. You'd understand that if you weren't such an idiot." - Jack Handey

Problem is, a lot of companies don't do that. And down here (Georgia), employment is considered "at will" by law, and you can fire employees pretty easily if they tried to organize a union (have seen this happen in other industries). Parks generally underpay their employees, but seasonal workers still don't organize mainly because they're just that--seasonal. They aren't planning on staying with the company long term, and it's much easier to get a job at the mall that pays more versus trying to start a union.

The only unionized employees I know of in theme parks are the mechanics, electricians, carpenters, and other members of maintenance staff.

-----------------
the member formerly known as MisterX

*** This post was edited by General Public on 8/17/2002. ***

Full time employees at the Walt Disney World, down to the Ride Ops, are represented by a Union. Seasonal mechanics at Cedar Point must join the union but all other seasonal employees are not respresented.

Since the workforce at a seasonal park changes every year and starting a union is a fairly lenthy process, you won't likely see a union at a seaonal park in the forseeable future.