Universal Orlando Resort may have crossed the line regarding federal labor law. One employee’s complaint has led to a settlement that will see the popular theme park making some changes regarding workers’ rights.
The complaint from Christopher Collins, a custodian for Universal Orlando, has led to a significant change that could improve conditions for the entertainment giant’s massive workforce.
Collins, who appears to have had an exemplary work history according to Orlando Weekly, filed the complaint after he was suspended. The disciplinary action led the custodian to research the company’s employee handbook and spotted the following oddities:
- Employees cannot solicit others to join a union.
- Employees cannot give the media information about their position in the company or speculate about the company or the competition.
National Labor Relations Board teamed up with Collins after he filed the complaint, and Universal Orlando agreed to some concessions. These include revising certain policies.
Orlando Weekly first reported on the story. The outlet also received the following statement from a Universal Orlando Resort spokesperson:
“We are modifying certain policies to ensure they comply with current legal requirements, which have recently evolved, and to eliminate the potential misinterpretation of the policies.”
Universal Orlando’s rep clarified that the original policies “were not intended or applied in a manner that infringed on employee rights.” It was all just a big whoopsy, right?
Regardless of these changes, Universal Orlando will not allow particular behavior that could lead to unionization. According to the settlement, workers will not be allowed to do the following:
- Talking about wages, benefits, and other employee-specific terms of employment.
- Attempting to recruit other workers while on company property.
It will be interesting to see how this affects Collins and his fellow Universal Orlando employees going forward. Will it spill into Walt Disney World? Let us know your thoughts below!
[Source: Orlando Weekly]
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