On Friday, US News reported that a federal labor panel upheld most a Judge’s ruling that a Teamsters Union at Walt Disney World behaved unlawfully. The Union reportedly ignored members’ requests to resign from the Union and even continued to collect dues from its members.
What’s happening:
- A Judge has ruled against a Florida based Teamsters Local 385 saying they behaved unlawfully by ignoring members requests to resign.
- Teamsters reportedly continued to collect Union dues from members even after they made it known they wanted to exit the Union.
- A panel of three National Labor Relations Board members reviewed and upheld most of the Judge’s ruling. The panel ordered the representatives of the Local 385 to:
- Reimburse members dues that were collected after they asked to resign
- Pay interest on collected dues to some members
- Honor member requests to resign
- The Teamsters represent bus drivers and cast members who portray costumed characters.
- Fair labor practices indicate that Union members have every right to collectively collaborate, and they also have every right to refrain from Union activity should they so choose.
- Local 385 leaders have been ordered to post notices in its Union hall and in Disney break rooms, saying they did not uphold the law. The notices are to contain the following words:
- “We will not fail and refuse to honor your requests to resign your union membership. We will not in any like or related manner restrain or coerce you in the exercise of the rights listed above.”
- Earlier this year hundreds of costumed characters filed a petition asking to be allowed to resign Local 385 and join another Union. One statement in the petition read:
- “The activities currently being investigated regarding the action of the president, vice president and treasurer of our Local 385 have made us lose trust in our Union and the people running it.”
ICYMI–Other Disney Union News:
- This past May, Disney offered to pay Union workers $15 per hour minimum wage by 2021. This offer came as both Disney and Unions have been in negotiations for nearly a year.