Fasting Disney Workers End Anaheim Fast, Burbank Fast Begins

Workers fasting outside the Grand Californian broke their fast with bread and juice and surrounded by clergy, coworkers and the community on the evening of February 16, 2010.  About 700 people gathered on Disney Drive between the Paradise Pier Hotel and the Grand Californian.  Rev. Peter Laarman, Executive Director of Progressive Christians United, United Church of Christ, read from the Book of Luke about the problems of serving two masters and how rich men will have trials because of the deeds on earth.  He and other clergy broke bread and passed juice to the the workers to break their week long fast. The gathered crowd sang "We Shall Overcome" as the bread was distributed.  

 

Rev. Laarman also talked about the power of fasting, "These people have engaged in a discipline which is transformative for them.  We hope that this will also be transformative for Disney management."  He described the rain earlier in the week "as the tears of God" who washed them as they camped on the sidewalk outside the Grand Californian.

 

The workers had been wheeled into the Grand Californian before breaking their fast. They were met by Jim Doyle, Operations Manager for Resort Security. Doyle stood at attention while the fasters talked to him about their struggles. Kristi Richards, a cashier at the Grand Californian, said "We have fasted for seven days to show our determination".  Other workers talked about being injured on the job and being pressured by management to do more in less time.

  

Tefere Gebre, Executive Director of the Orange County Labor Federation, said, "We will take the fight to wherever Disney is." Tefere went on to point out that Disney has worldwide locations where workers can be organized to get better pay and working conditions.  "Stand up and fight, fight, fight and victory will be ours," he added. 

 
 

John Wilhelm, President of Unite HERE! fired up the 700 person audience when he said, "Corporations have forgotten that they don't carry the bags, they don't cook the food, you do!"  He continued, "We're going to write history here when Disney is finally persuaded or forced to do the right thing. We will put your name up front."  

 

Anaheim City Councilmember Lorri Galloway, who has been targeted by Disney for standing up for workers, reminded the fasters, "The greater the sacrifice, the sweeter the victory."  

  

A new group of five fasters will take their places outside Disney Corporate Headquarters, 500 S Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA.  The camp will be at the Alameda Ave entrance at the corner of Alameda Ave and Lincoln Street.  Clergy will have an Ash Wednesday service for the workers starting at 11 AM on February 17.  

         

Disney hotel workers have been without a contract for two years.  Major issues keeping the contract from being signed include affordable health care coverage and employee classification. Disney wants to change the health care benefits for the hotel employees to a package which would cost $500 a month for a family of four. These workers earn up to $13 an hour, which is $520 for a 40 hour week.  Additionally, Disney wants to reclassify many of the workers as "casual" employees, which would make them ineligible for benefits. Ada Briceno, Secretary-Treasurer of Unite HERE! Local 11 has explained why the health benefits offered to other Disney employees wont' work for the hotel workers, "These workers are different. They are wage earners, they aren't high school and college students working part time. These people support families."

For more information about the issues surrounding the Disney hotel workers contract and the fast, go to Disney is Unfaithful.