Disneyland performers who bring Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and other beloved characters to life at the Southern California resort have chosen to unionize after three days of voting culminated on Saturday.
Cast members in the parade and character departments at Disney theme parks near Los Angeles voted by a wide margin to allow the union to become the bargaining agent for about 1,700 workers, the Actors Equity Association union said in a statement on Saturday.
An association website that tracks actors’ votes showed that 78.7% (953 votes) were in favor and 21.3% (258 votes) were against.
“They say Disneyland is ‘the place where dreams come true,’ and for Disney cast members who have worked hard to organize a union, their dream came true today,” Kate Schindel, president of Actors’ Equity Association, said in a statement Saturday night.
Schindel calls these workers the “front line” of the Disneyland guest experience. She said the association and cast members will discuss improving health and safety, wages, benefits, working conditions and job security before meeting with Walt Disney Co. representatives to discuss employee priorities in the contract.
The union already represents theatrical performers at Disneyland in Florida.
Barring any election challenges, the National Labor Relations Board’s regional director will certify the results within a week, the association said.
The NLRB did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking confirmation or more information about the vote.
Elections are held on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday in Anaheim, California, where workers turned in cards earlier this year to form a unit called Magic United.
Parade and character workers who pushed for the union said they love helping create a magical experience at Disneyland but were concerned when they were asked to resume hugging guests after returning to work during the coronavirus pandemic. They said complicated costumes and erratic schedules also took their toll.
Most of the more than 35,000 workers at the Disneyland Resort, including janitorial staff, pyrotechnics experts and security personnel, are unionized. The resorts include Disneyland, the Walt Disney Company’s oldest theme park, Disney California Adventure, and Anaheim’s Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment district.
In recent years, Disney has faced accusations of not paying its Southern California workers, who face high housing costs and often commute long distances or are crammed into tiny homes where they earn just a living wage. Base pay for parade performers and character actors is $24.15 an hour, up from $20 before January, with additional fees depending on the role.
In the United States, union membership has been declining for decades, but in recent years the groups have enjoyed growing public support amid high-profile contract negotiations involving Hollywood studios and Las Vegas hotels. The NLRB, which protects workers’ rights to organize, reported that it received more than 2,500 applications for union representation in fiscal year 2023, the highest number in eight years.
California’s effort to organize characters and parade performers comes more than 40 years after Florida performers playing Mickey, Goofy and Donald Duck were organized by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a group that traditionally represents Transport workers union.
At the time, Florida performers complained about dirty costumes and verbal abuse from guests, including children who kicked Disney villains like Captain Hook in the shins.
