Mickey and the Teamsters : A Fight for Fair Unions at Disney EPUB

A behind-the-scenes look at the lives of Disneys character performers and their struggles for union democracy

Behind thecostumes, life isnt always magic and fairy dust for the people who play theiconic characters of Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Cinderella at Walt Disney World.In a surprising tale of corruption alongside activism, Mickey and the Teamsters reveals the little-known story ofTeamsters Local 385, the union that represents these performers. It spotlightsDonna-Lynne Dalton, a former cast member who stood up for other Disney performersagainst deep-rooted problems in the union that was supposed to protect them.

Journalist Mike Schneider, who covered the story as it unfolded, includesexclusive interviews with labor leaders and workers at the park, detailing how theunion prevented its members from leaving, severely mismanaged union business, andpromoted a culture of hostile leadership. Members of the Teamsters local feltthat they no longer had a voice, fearing devastating consequences if they spokeup. But Dalton brought the issues to investigators in an act of whistleblowingthat threatened her livelihood. In return, the local union fired Dalton andbegan harassing her and other union members who opposed its leaders. The storyescalates as Schneider describes protests by the Disney performers and theinterventions of James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood ofTeamsters.