Link: Orlando Sentinel - Disney cast member sent back to Africa over picture on Tourism Central Florida.
A Walt Disney World cast member from Botswana who was fired over allegations of sexual harassment is being sent home tomorrow morning even though he wants to stay in Orlando long enough to fight the allegation through a union grievance process.
Ordirile "Jojo" Rammoni, 25, was a cultural representative at Disney's Animal Kingdom, where he discussed his country's culture and talked about the wildlife on exhibit at Animal Kingdom's Pangani Forest. He'd been at Disney since March. Rammoni said he recently posed for some publicity photos with other Disney cultural representatives. When the photos were examined later, one shot captured his hand touching the breast of the woman standing next to him. He insisted it was not on purpose, saying the photographer instructed them to clown around in front of the camera, and in that one shot his hand must have incidentally touched her in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But Disney did some investigation, and he was fired.
"I did nothing wrong, and I want to fight this," Rammoni said.
His union, Unite HERE Local 362 intervened and filed a grievance saying that Disney did not follow its own procedures in firing him. Union spokesman Dick Hatch said Disney policies normally called for a reprimand, a warning, and education, in cases involving sexual harassment allegations, and he said none of those was given to Rammoni. Hatch said there were no prior complaints against Rammoni. Earlier today he said the union was conducting an independent investigation and then would seek a hearing.
But Disney revoked Rammoni's visa, meaning he must leave soon. Disney bought him a plane ticket. This evening, he said he was to leave tomorrow morning.
