A coalition

Company won’t give out $1K bonuses until new contract approved

of unions at Walt Disney World Resorts files a federal complaint about unfair labor practices, accusing the company of holding employees’ $1,000 bonuses hostage during contract negotiations.

A coalition of unions at Walt Disney World Resorts filed a federal complaint about unfair labor practices Monday, accusing the company of holding employees’ $1,000 bonuses hostage during contract negotiations.

Last month, the Walt Disney Co. announced it was giving $1,000 each to more than 125,000 employees. Disney, similar to many other companies, planned to give extra money to employees after a federal tax cut reduced the corporate tax rate.

However, the Service Trades Council said Monday that Disney refuses to give employees the bonuses until the union approves a new contract. “If the unionized employees do not accept Disney’s offer by August 31, ‘the bonus offer will expire,’ ” according to a news release from the trades council.

“A thousand dollars is a lot of money to people who make $10 or $15 an hour,” said Ed Chambers, the trade council’s president.

“Wages and bonuses are part of our negotiation process. We will continue to meet with the union to move toward a ratified agreement,” Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger said in a statement.

The trades council represents more than 35,000 Walt Disney World Resort employees, including bus drivers and attractions workers.

The trades council and Disney have been fighting over wages and struggled to reach common ground since labor talks began in the summer.

In December, union members overwhelmingly rejected Disney’s proposal that would have given a raise of 50 cents an hour or a 3 percent increase, whichever was higher.

Disney proposed the same offer when the two sides met Monday, the first time they have come together since December.

The salary increase is part of Disney’s “ongoing commitment” for employees, Finger said in a statement.

Some Disney employees argued they deserved higher pay, pointing to the company’s success. Disney’s theme park division generated $5.2 billion in revenue for the quarter that ended in December, a bright spot for the company.

“The cast members I work with already said no to $.50 raises back in December,” said Madeline Johnson, an employee at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, in a statement. “We’re not going to be tricked by a $1,000 bribe, especially when other Disney cast members are getting the $1,000 with no strings attached.”

“If the unionized employees do not accept Disney’s offer by August 31, ‘the bonus offer will expire.’ ” Service Trades Council in a news release