Disneyland Pyrotechnic employees join union

[Tom Morrow]

Disneyland Pyrotechnic employees join union



FX Folks Unionize at Disneyland (http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/unions/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=10036 06627)
Back Stage - New York, NY
About 30 fireworks and special-effects employees of a pyrotechnics department at Disneyland have joined IATSE Local 44. Disney recognized the employees' new union status after a majority signed representation cards, which were checked by a neutral third party. The union expects to begin negotiations with management in late July to reach a collective-bargaining agreement covering the employees.





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[levelmaker99]

This is the kind of thing that our governor was trying stop, now if the unions go on strike the firework show will be canceled, this a bad move on Disney part to allow this from happening....

[PeoplemoverMatt]

At least people will know ahead of time about the fireworks cancellations, unlike what happens when its windy...

-- PMM :cool:

[xfkirsten]

I'm actually more surprised that their pyrotechnics guys weren't IATSE already!

[kimballw]

44 hasn't gone on strike for many a year. It's one of the few unions that supports it's members working on non-union gigs when union work is slow (my Dad's been a member for 20+ years).

Actually, xfkirsten, I agree. Especially with how stringent Califonia laws are on pyro, and specifically pyro licensing. The only thing I can guess is that's it's because they are doing outdoor/airborn pyro, which is much different from most of the pyro done by 44 (movie pyro is usually custom build bombs for specific gags).

It could also be that in the past the Disney pyro crew has felt the treatment has been good enough not to warrent going union. If you're making close to, or as much money as a union person, why spend the extra money to go union?

[BCC]

I thought they were already part of the union during the summer of last year? I was at the park on a very nice night. Perfect conditions, yet they cancelled.....

[kimballw]

While the winds may be calm down at park level, the pyro's have to also be concerned with the wind in the upper elevations (actually, even more so). The have to be cautious of where the spent shells land.