Snow White Arrested

The Happiest Place on Earth… is not so happy, at least not right now. Cinderella, Snow White, Tinkerbell and other Disney characters were handcuffed, frisked and loaded into police vans after the culmination of a labor protest. The arrests occurred after an hour-long march to Disneyland’s gates from one of three Disney-owned hotels at the center of a labor dispute. Those who were arrested sat in a circle on a busy intersection outside the park holding hands until they were placed in plastic handcuffs and led to two police vans while hundreds of hotel workers cheered and chanted.

I think the major question the lingers in many Disney lovers’ minds is: Why are Disney employees striking in the first place?? Isn’t Disney the Happiest Place on Earth, not to mention one of the wealthiest and famous franchises in the world?? Well, the workers’ contracts ran out this past February, and the union says Disney’s latest proposal makes health care unaffordable for hundreds of employees and creates an unfair two-tier wage system. The union also says Disney wants to create a new category of part-time employees who would receive greatly reduced benefits.  Basically, Disney wants to eliminate the free health plan for new hires and wants to create a new class of workers who put in less than 30 hours a week. These part-time workers would receive no sick or vacation pay and not be given holidays.  The company also wants to increase the number of hours full-time employees must work before qualifying for the health plan.

I can see how employees at Disney would be outraged by this switch in wages and benefits, but did they have to protest dressed up as Disney Princesses?? Imagine being a little kid and seeing all your favorite Disney characters, your childhood heroes, frisked and hand-cuffed. How traumatizing! The protesters were arrested on a misdemeanor count of failure to obey a police officer and two traffic infractions. If you ask me, this was just selfish of the park workers. Was it necessary for them to dress in costume while picketing at the park?? (A) If they wanted to picket in costume they should have done so out of sight of park visitors and (B) I don’t see why dressing in costume helps their cause to begin with. Unnecessary.