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Disneyland Paris management attempts to improve staff relations backfire Disneyland Paris management's efforts to improve staff relations backfire
(35 minutes later)
An attempt to improve relations between bosses and staff at Disneyland Paris went wrong after a management-commissioned report described union leaders as "incompetent and illiterate". An attempt to improve relations between bosses and staff at Disneyland Paris went wrong after a management-commissioned report described union leaders as incompetent and illiterate.
Staff at the theme park were furious after the survey, based on anonymous interviews with workers, questioned the intelligence and even the ability to spell of their representatives.Staff at the theme park were furious after the survey, based on anonymous interviews with workers, questioned the intelligence and even the ability to spell of their representatives.
On Wednesday, after Le Parisien newspaper leaked the report, one union leader said his members were "scandalised". On Wednesday, after Le Parisien newspaper leaked the report, one union leader said his members were scandalised.
The report was commissioned by Disneyland Paris, with the support of the unions, from the French Superior Institute of Work (IST) and was aimed at improving relations between management and workers.The report was commissioned by Disneyland Paris, with the support of the unions, from the French Superior Institute of Work (IST) and was aimed at improving relations between management and workers.
According to Le Parisien, the report concluded there were serious "misunderstandings" between different unions represented at the park, and questioned the motivations of certain union leaders. According to Le Parisien, the report concluded there were serious misunderstandings between different unions represented at the park, and questioned the motivations of certain union leaders.
However, the most damning part questioned not just the competence but the "low level of general knowledge" among staff representatives.However, the most damning part questioned not just the competence but the "low level of general knowledge" among staff representatives.
The report suggested talks between management and union leaders often broke down because the latter had "problems of expressing themselves, of spelling and of understanding".The report suggested talks between management and union leaders often broke down because the latter had "problems of expressing themselves, of spelling and of understanding".
One member of staff told the IST: "We are face to face with people...who are educated, when we are just cooks." One member of staff told the IST: "We are face to face with people … who are educated, when we are just cooks."
"The competence of the social partners [unions] is not up to the level that might be expected of a company like Disneyland Paris," concluded the report."The competence of the social partners [unions] is not up to the level that might be expected of a company like Disneyland Paris," concluded the report.
Union representatives had no doubt what that meant.Union representatives had no doubt what that meant.
"The author portrays us as illiterate," Djamila Ouaz, head of the main CFDT union at Disneyland Paris told Le Parisien. "The author portrays us as illiterate," Djamila Ouaz, the head of the main CFDT union at Disneyland Paris, told Le Parisien.
He added that union members were "scandalised" by the report. However, Laurent Burazer, of another union, UNSA, described the report as a "smokescreen" carried out by the management "to avoid sorting out the real problems".
However, Laurent Burazer, of another union UNSA, described the report as a "smokescreen" carried out by the management "to avoid sorting out the real problems."
Daniel Dreux, vice-president of Disneyland Paris in charge of human resources, told Le Parisien staff would be given individual training from now until 2015.Daniel Dreux, vice-president of Disneyland Paris in charge of human resources, told Le Parisien staff would be given individual training from now until 2015.
The IST (Institut Supérieur du Travail) is a private organisation that conducts research and training into various aspects of industrial and union relations.The IST (Institut Supérieur du Travail) is a private organisation that conducts research and training into various aspects of industrial and union relations.
The report came out just a few weeks after a union leader wrote to the company's chief executive demanding working conditions be improved after the attempted suicide of a Disney worker who had received a letter summoning him to an interview with his bosses.The report came out just a few weeks after a union leader wrote to the company's chief executive demanding working conditions be improved after the attempted suicide of a Disney worker who had received a letter summoning him to an interview with his bosses.
In the letter, the union leader warned of a "deterioration in working conditions".In the letter, the union leader warned of a "deterioration in working conditions".
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