Cast members performing in Disneyland’s Characters and Parades departments announced Tuesday their plans to unionize through the Actors’ Equity Association.
The Actors’ Equity Association, also known as Equity, would work with the cast members in “Magic United” who began spreading word regarding unionization through union authorization work cards, according to a report.
The cast members reached out to their nearly 1,700 colleagues to “seek voluntary recognition from Disney Resort Entertainment when a majority of the workers have signed,” a statement from Equity said.
Cast members in the aforementioned departments are critical in creating “Disney magic for guests by bringing beloved characters to life in shows, meet and greets and character dining experiences,” according to the statement.
Those in the bargaining unit include hosts, trainers, leads, and other support roles, the report noted.
Primary concerns of the Characters and Parades departments are those related to “safe and sanitary workplace conditions, a fair wage and more transparency in scheduling and rehiring decisions.”
“When we can speak with a collective voice, we can have a clearer, more productive conversation with our employer,” Magic United leaders said.
“Ultimately, this will result in a better experience for all — Cast Members, managers and more importantly, our guests.”
Should the attempt to unionize succeed, Magic United would not be the first to unionize for Disney.
Food and Beverage at Disneyland unionized, as did Disney World’s Character and Parade cast members, according to the report.
If Disney rejects this latest attempt, Equity will file authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board.
“Upon receiving the ‘petition,’ the NLRB will schedule a union recognition election for Cast Members in the Character and Parades Departments,” Equity said in its statement. “The company will be required under federal labor law to sit down with Equity’s representatives at the bargaining table and negotiate a contract, following a vote in favor of unionization.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Disneyland officials declared their workers have a right to their own “individual choices,” according to a release.
“We believe that our Cast Members deserve to have all the facts and the right to a confidential vote that recognizes their individual choices,” the release added.
