FLORIDA Largest union at Disney World sets another vote on new pact

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- A week after union members rejected an almost identical deal, the largest union group at Walt Disney World will vote this week on a contract proposal for the fourth time since negotiations began in May.
Leaders of the Service Trades Council Union, which covers about 40 percent of Disney World's 51,000-person work force, and Disney officials met with federal mediator Conrad Bowling on Monday and decided to take another vote Thursday.
Disney has refused to extend the current contract, which expires Thursday, union officials said. Without a contract, union members would be able to strike, since that is prohibited in the contract, and Disney would be able implement provisions it wants unilaterally.
"We have not been down this road with this company before," said Donna-Lynne Dalton, recording secretary for Teamsters Local 385, which represents costumed workers and bus drivers at Disney.
Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said she wouldn't speculate on what actions the company will take if the proposal is voted down and the contract expires.
Union members voted 3,686 against and 2,827 for the contract last week. The vote also authorized union leaders to call a strike if necessary, but that is an unlikely prospect since only two of the six unions in the council have enough member-support for such action.
Opponents of the contract said the proposed wage increase was too small to offset the increases in what they would pay for health care insurance.