4/06/2004

What's as American as the army and Disney? Union-busting, apparently: After a $92 million expansion, the U.S. Army will reopen its military-only Walt Disney World resort today with twice as many hotel rooms -- and almost no traces of its once-unionized work force. Before the Army shut down the Shades of Green resort in 2002 and laid off almost all of its staff, between 60 and 100 members of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 509 changed soldiers' sheets, poured their drinks and carried their luggage. With Shades of Green set to reopen, that number is down to one, said union President David Wilson. During the temporary closing, the Army contracted out many of the jobs once held by union members. And despite a promise that ex-employees would be given hiring preference when the resort reopened, Wilson said that union members have had little luck getting their old jobs back. That includes Wilson, a former Shades of Green bartender who, as union head, has clashed frequently with management. "They're trying to bust up the union," he said.

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