Union workers demand safety
Caravan rallies to increase support as businesses reopen
Central Florida tourism workers face a cruel dilemma as businesses begin to reopen from the coronavirus shutdowns, union advocates said Monday.
Some employees are pressured to return to work at hotels and restaurants even if they feel unsafe in part because the state hasn’t paid thousands of Floridians’ unemployment benefits yet.
“We don’t want to have any hotel and restaurant workers starved by a broken unemployment system and forced back to work before we can be sure it’s safe,” said Jeremy Haicken, a union leader for Unite Here 737 local. “What is a server supposed to do when going to a table? What is a housekeeper supposed to do? ... How are those situations going to be made safe? We don’t know yet.”
A few dozen unionized hospitality workers rallied in their cars to raise awareness Monday. Some wrote angry messages on their windows, such as “Want to work, Don’t want to die!” or “DeSantis, do something!” as they honked on a mostly empty International Drive past. Some of Orlando’s iconic tourism attractions, such as SeaWorld’s rollercoasters and The Wheel at Icon Park, were frozen as they drove by.
In Central Florida, some businesses at Disney Springs are set to reopen May 20, although Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld Orlando still haven’t announced official opening dates for their theme parks.