Over the weekend, a significant number of character workers at the amusement park decided to join the Actors’ Equity Association through a National Labor Relations Board vote. This move will bring more Disneyland employees into the union. Out of the total votes cast, 953 workers voted in favor of joining Equity, while 258 voted against it. Both parties involved have a few days to raise any objections, and if none are raised, the results will be officially certified.
Actors’ Equity Association president Kate Shindle had this say in a statement:
“They say that Disneyland is ‘the place where dreams come true,’ and for the Disney cast members who have worked to organize a union, their dream came true today. The next step will be to collaborate with them about improving health & safety, wages, benefits, working conditions and job security. After that we will meet with representatives of the Walt Disney Company to negotiate those priorities into a first contract.”
In their own statement, Disneyland officials said, “While voting is complete, there are still steps in the process prior to the election being certified, so it is premature for the company to comment on the results. Whatever the outcome, we respect that our cast members had the opportunity to have their voices heard.”
Between Wednesday and Saturday, there was a vote held to determine whether approximately 1,700 workers at the park, including character performers, parade participants, and staff members who facilitate interactions with park guests, would join Actors’ Equity Association. This union is well-known for representing Broadway actors and stage managers and already represents performers at Walt Disney World, Disney Theatricals on Broadway, and national tours. This marks the first attempt by character workers to unionize at Disneyland.
While many workers at Disneyland are already part of various labor groups such as the Service Employees International Union, the Teamsters, and the American Guild of Variety Artists, character workers have not had representation until now.
In addition to prioritizing safety measures, the organizers of the unionization effort are advocating for wage increases, improvements to scheduling policies, and better accessibility to health insurance through a union contract. It is worth noting that full-time Disneyland employees already receive annual pay raises and healthcare benefits.
