“For months, hard-working cast members have been united at the bargaining table and in our parks to ensure Disney recognizes what they bring to their theme park experience, and these contracts are the concrete and direct result of this tireless effort,” said the bargaining committee for Disney Workers Rising, a group of four labor unions that represent cast members on the contracts. statement After voting.
“By wearing their badges, attending rallies and speaking publicly about their experiences, these performers came together to fight for a brighter future for themselves, their peers and their families,” the statement said.
Union members include janitors, ride operators, candy makers, merchandise clerks, and workers who manage the parking lots and resort transportation at the Disneyland Resort’s two theme parks (Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure) or at nearby Downtown Disney and the company’s three hotels in Anaheim, California;
In an emailed statement, Disneyland Resort spokeswoman Jessica Good said the company is “pleased that cast members have accepted the new contracts, which demonstrate how much we care about them and our deep commitment to their overall well-being, along with everything we offer as part of their employment experience.”
Contract negotiations began in late April, with the labor union coalition, also known as the Master Services Council, seeking higher wages, changes to attendance rules and longer service terms.
The parties were unable to reach an agreement before Disneyland’s previous contract expired in mid-June. (Contracts for Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney don’t expire until September 30.) The council accused Disney of unfair labor practices during the negotiation process, alleging that hundreds of performers “were threatened, surveilled or disciplined for wearing union badges in support of the contract campaign.”
Earlier this month, union members rallied just outside Disneyland to demand better wages and fair labor practices to mark the 69th anniversary of the resort’s opening. A few days later, members voted 99 percent in favor of authorizing a strike if Disney Workers Rising deems necessary.
Last week, after three months of negotiations, Disneyland Resort and Disney Workers Rising reached a tentative agreement, easing strike fears.
“We care deeply about the well-being of our Cast Members and are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the Master Services Council that addresses the issues that matter most to Cast Members and prepares Disneyland Resort for future growth and job creation,” the Disneyland Resort said in a statement Wednesday.
Because union members have now ratified the new contract, they will not strike and the parks will continue to operate as usual. A strike would have been disastrous for the company and the entire theme park industry, according to Dennis Spiegel, founder and CEO of the global consulting organization International Theme Park Services. The last Disneyland strike lasted 22 days in 1984.
The four unions participating in “Disney Workers Rising” are Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Mill Workers Local 83, Service Employees International Union-Service Workers of America West, Teamsters Local 495 and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 324.
“Cast members have fought hard,” the Disney Workers Rising bargaining committee said in a statement Wednesday, “…we have shown Disney that we are the creators of the true magic of our parks, and today we proved that when workers unite and demand what we deserve, we can win.”
