Company could endure biggest US strike of 2024 as unions accuse it of intimidation during contract negotiations
Disney could face the largest strike in the US this year after it was announced that thousands of theme park and hotel workers in California will vote on whether to stage a walkout.
Three trade unions representing 14,000 “cast members” at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the Disney hotels announced an unfair labor practice strike vote would be held next week amid negotiations over a new union contract.
In a critical statement, union leaders accused Disney of “unlawful discipline and intimidation and surveillance” of union members. The entertainment giant did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why wouldn’t they be allowed to hire scabs? Is it that the union is especially strong here?
A long standing NLRB rule is that scabs can only be hired if workers go on a strike for economic reasons (wages, benefits, etc). If workers go on strike because the employer violated labor law, then the employer is barred by labor law from breaking the strike with scabs. Imo it’s one of the best rules to ever come from the NLRB
It’s also one that’s unfortunately up for reconsideration after the Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference. That rule (as well as almost every other NLRB rule) could go away unless it is explicitly re-enshrined by Congress.