The Disneyland performers who portray popular characters such as Mickey Mouse and Cinderella have voted to unionize after a three-day voting process. The Actors’ Equity Association labor union will now represent approximately 1,700 employees in the parades and character departments at the Disney theme parks near Los Angeles. The vote passed with 78.7% in favor and 21.3% opposed, allowing the union to become the bargaining agent for the workers. This decision follows concerns about health and safety, wages, benefits, working conditions, and job security among the cast members.
According to Actors’ Equity Association President Kate Shindle, the Disney Cast Members are considered the “front lines” of the Disneyland guest experience. The union and the employees will collaborate on discussing improvements before negotiating with representatives from the Walt Disney Company to incorporate these priorities into a contract. Once any election challenges are resolved, the National Labor Relations Board will certify the voting results within a week, finalizing the unionization process for the performers at the Disneyland Resort.
The election for unionizing the parade and character performers took place in Anaheim, California, after the workers formed a unit called “Magic United” earlier in the year. Many of the employees were passionate about creating a magical experience at Disneyland but became concerned when asked to resume close interactions with visitors amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the decision to unionize. Additionally, the workers cited issues such as injuries from wearing complex costumes and irregular work schedules as reasons to seek better representation and support.
Disneyland Resort employees, including cleaning crews, security personnel, and pyrotechnic specialists, already belong to labor unions, representing a majority of the more than 35,000 workers at the resort. The Disney theme parks in California, including Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney, have faced criticism in recent years for allegedly not paying their employees a living wage, considering the high cost of housing in Southern California. Parade performers and character actors currently earn a base pay of $24.15 per hour, with additional premiums for specific roles.
The decision to unionize the character and parade performers at Disneyland is part of a broader trend of growing public support for unions in the United States. Despite a long-term decline in union membership, organizations are seeing increased interest, particularly during high-profile negotiations involving industries such as Hollywood studios and Las Vegas hotels. The National Labor Relations Board reported a significant number of filings for union representation during the 2023 fiscal year, highlighting a renewed focus on workers’ rights to organize and advocate for improved working conditions.
This move to unionize the Disneyland performers in California follows a similar effort more than 40 years ago in Florida, where those portraying characters like Mickey Mouse and Goofy were organized by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The Florida performers raised concerns about issues such as unsanitary costumes and mistreatment from guests, including incidents of physical abuse. The unionization of character and parade performers at both Disney locations underscores the importance of collective bargaining and worker representation in addressing challenges within the entertainment industry.
