According to Barrera, the whip has led to a sort of competition among workers

According to Barrera the whip has led to a sort of competition among workers some of whom have tried to race to the head of the pack. But that has led to dissension and made other employees worry that a reasonable pace wont be enough to keep the boss happy. Barrera and Beatriz Topete an official with Unite Here Local said employees have been known to skip bathroom breaks out of fear that their production will fall and managers will demand an explanation. They say they felt bad for a pregnant employee who had trouble keeping up.

I learned about the electronic whip by chance while visiting the homes of hotel workers to talk about the fact that they have been working without a contract for three years Since that time the union and the hotel havent been able to reach a new agreement. Many of them fear that theyll soon be required to pay higher healthcare premiums or be reduced to part-time status with no health insurance available.

Roughly employees at Disneylands three resort hotels in Anaheim the Grand Californian is the third were covered by the contract that expired in early Disney officials say that Unite Here Local rejected a very good final offer that included raises a reduced workload for housekeepers and more healthcare options and Local is the only one of unions representing Disney workers that hasnt come to terms.

Employees see it differently. They appreciate steady work with a thriving company like Disney and many of them have years on the job. They say they dont expect to get rich or even make it solidly into the middle class working at the hotel. Workers have been content with hourly pay in the neighborhood in return for mostly free healthcare from a union plan Disney contributes to. Union leaders say workers are prepared to begin paying a portion of their healthcare costs but not so much that their total compensation takes a big hit.

The Disney contribution to the healthcare plan has not changed since even as healthcare costs rise. As a result the union healthcare trust fund is shrinking union officials said Disney offered to increase its contribution by over five years but that didnt cut it says the union nor does it put Disney at anywhere near what other hotels pay into healthcare for Local members.