Laughable Union Request of the Day

Disney Hotel workers are pleading their case to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science (AMPAS) members not to vote for Toy Story 3 for Best Picture.  Why?  Have they all become motion picture critics?  No, they're trying to use AMPAS to squeeze Disney for their labor negotiations.  From the union press release:

Disneyland Resort hotel workers, who for three years have been fighting to hold on to health benefits for their children, unveiled today a campaign urging Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members not to vote for Toy Story 3 for Best Picture.

While Disney’s Toy Story 3 espouses a moral, humane message of valuing what you have and what makes you great, Disney does not live by that advice. Instead, it has made life difficult for its own hotel workers who, if Disney gets its way, risk losing health benefits for their children. Hotel workers have been in a labor struggle with Disney since their contract expired in January 2008.

“I am the broken doll,” said Blandina Rios, who has worked at the Disneyland Hotel for nearly 10 years. “Working as a dishwasher is physically strenuous work, and I have endured injuries on the job. I only earn about $11 an hour, but I continue to work at Disney because it affords me health insurance for my daughter who has Down’s Syndrome. I need healthcare for her, and I cannot risk losing it.” [...]

“This awards season, we are asking AMPAS members to vote their conscience,” said Ada Briceno, secretary-treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 11. “We hope the entertainment industry will stand in solidarity with us and send Disney a message. Disney must stop squeezing — and start respecting — the working men and women who make it so profitable.”

Blah, blah, blah...

I believe this is the same union that tried the stunt with the woman who wanted to wear Muslim headgear to work in one of the resort's restaurants. Disney held their ground and as far as I know that woman has not returned to work.

So, in typical lefty fashion, they ask AMPAS members to disregard their mandate to vote for the movie they think qualifies as Best Picture and "make a statement" instead.  Well, Hollywood is all about making statements as a host of poorly performing anti-Iraq war movies will attest.  Not to mention any number of other "message" movies that flopped with audiences.  They'll probably eat this up.

To my knowledge cartoons or other animated fare rarely get nominated for Best Picture even if not associated with cranky unions, so chance are the "broken doll" dishwashers will be able to claim victory when the nominations come out even if their actions had nothing to do with it.