When Mickey goes nasty!

The news is over everywhere in Hong Kong local newspapers, making headlines.

Hong Kong Disneyland character performers say they are overworked and underpaid and want the theme park to improve their working environment, reported by SCMP.

The Disney's Staff Union say that many character performers suffered joint and muscle aches and pains due to lack of rest and poor working environment of more 12 hours a day. Also their salary, HKD 9,000, is lower than live shows performers. The character performers are asking for equitable pay.

In addition, the union is demanding the Hong Kong Labour Department to make joint and muscle aches and pains a notifiable occupational diseases under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance.

The theme park's Vice-President of Entertainmen, Laurie Jordan, said these are few exceptional cases and are not representative of the cast in general.

Source: Dennis Eng, 'Mickey and friends call for a better work environment', SCMP 10 April 2006.