Fasting workers at the rally. These volunteers started their fast on Tuesday, February 9, 2010. They have been camped out in front of Disney's Grand Californian in tents on the sidewalk. The weather this week was cold and rainy, with temperatures dipping into the low 40's overnight. The workers are visited by nurses from NUHW who check their vital signs and monitor their health.
On February 11, 2010, over 300 people marched in front of Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel in Anaheim, CA, to show support for workers fasting outside the Grand Californian in protest of Disney not signing a fair contract with the hotel workers. The previous contract expired two years ago and the toughest negotiation point has been healthcare benefits. Over the years, workers have given up wage increases to keep their health care benefits, a common tactic during contract negotiations. Now, Disney is expecting workers who make an average of $13/hour ($520/week) to pay a monthly premium of $500 for a family of four. For many workers, the choice will be between a place to live or health care.
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez joined the rally. She talked about how her brother had worked at Disney scraping up gum as "one of those sanitation engineers", so she understands the pressures the workers are under from management. Rep. Sanchez reminded the crowd that the fight with Disney is over the same thing she has been fighting for in Congress - affordable health care for all.
Anaheim City Council Member Lorri Galloway, who has been targeted by Disney in prior elections due to her stands on some issues, told the fasting workers, "Nothing in my life could be more inspiring than what you are doing." Galloway invited the president of Disney to her home, where they sat in her living room and talked about why the hotel workers have not been able to receive a fair contract for the last two years. One concession Lorri was able to get from the president was that the rally members and fasters would not be asked to leave Disney property is they remained peaceful.
At the rally, a memorial to Musa Sharaf, a 13 year cook for Disney who died of a heart attack on the job in January 2009. At a press conference earlier in the week, Sharaf's widow, Basema Sharaf, talked about her husband would, "complain about a lot of stress at work, especially in the last year of his life after cutbacks in staffing." She said her husband would go to work an hour early, unpaid, just to catch up on his work.
The Disney workers were joined by members of the public, NUHW, UAW, Teamsters Locals 952 and 396, UFCW Local 324, OCEA, UDW, AFT, AFSCME, Anaheim Municipal Employees, IBEW, Los Angeles Labor Federation. The event was coordinated by Unite HERE! Local 11. Traffic going to the theme parks and Downtown Disney honked support for the rally. Also, members of the public asked questions about what was going on and learned how they can help Disney workers in their struggle.
The rally is one of many events planned this week to bring attention to the contract problems at Disney. On Friday, February 12, a community support rally is scheduled for 5 PM at 1600 Disneyland Drive. On Saturday, February 13, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine will perform starting at 3 PM near Paradise Pier. On February 14, a Valentine's Day Children's Art Auction will take place at 2 PM at 1600 Disneyland Drive. Assemblyman and Incoming Speaker of the Assembly John Perez will speak at 1 PM. Another rally will be held on Tuesday, February 16 at 5 PM.
More information about the problems workers are having getting a fair contract, updates on the fasting workers, and more information is available at Disney Is Unfaithful.
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