Mickey, Goofy, and Donald want to work at the unionized Disney Clubhouse.
“Cast members” who dress as popular characters at Disney California theme parks will be asked to vote on whether to join the Actors Equity Association, a union shop representing live performers such as Broadway actors and strippers. filed a petition.
The organization behind the petition said it had collected signatures from more than two-thirds of Disneyland’s 1,700 employees as of Thursday.
“The cast members who bring the characters and parades to life have been non-union since the Disneyland Resort opened in the 1950s, and have seen other workers at the park unionize around them. ” said Kate Shindle, president of equity.
Cast member pay increased from $20 an hour to $24.15 an hour in January, a 20.8% increase. The following month, a union organizing campaign failed to gather enough signatures.
The Anaheim cast is looking to replicate the success of the cast at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Last year, 32,000 hourly workers there received raises of up to $3 an hour after ratifying a collective bargaining agreement with the company.
Disneyland employs more than 21,000 cast members, represented by more than a dozen unions in a variety of sectors, including retail trade, food service workers, and security.
However, performers who dress up as famous Disney characters and interact with guests are not represented by the union.
“These performers, and the hosts, leads and trainers who create magic with them, know that through collective bargaining they can improve their lives and the experiences of guests at Disneyland,” Shindle said.
“They deserve a voice in the workplace and meaningful negotiations over wages, benefits, and working conditions.”
A Disney spokesperson said: “We support Cast Members’ right to a secret ballot that recognizes their individual choices.”
with post wire
