Disneyland Workers Union Committee Reaches Tentative Agreement Covering 14,000 Theme Park Employees, Averting Strike for Now
A union coalition representing 14,000 Disneyland workers said it reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year deal, heading off — for the time being — the possibility of a disruptive strike at the Southern California theme park properties.
“We have reached a tentative agreement with Disney,” the Disney Workers Rising Bargaining Committee said in a July 24 statement. “We have fought hard for the past four months and this tentative agreement would not have been possible without the strength we showed this past week with our rally and Unfair Labor Practice vote.”
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According to the committee, the three-year contract includes “significant wage increases” for all covered employees, seniority increases and the retention of premiums. The contract also addresses issues “that will make the attendance policy work better for cast members,” it said.
The union committee noted that the tentative agreement is not final until union members vote to accept it. “We believe this three-year agreement meets our needs and delivers us the wages, seniority increases, premiums, and protections we deserve, but nothing is final until we all have a chance to review the offer and vote on it,” the committee said. The union said it will vote on the tentative agreement on Monday, July 29, from 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on-site at Disneyland.
Reached for comment, Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good said in an emailed statement, “We care deeply about the wellbeing of our cast members and are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with Master Services Council that addresses what matters most to our cast while positioning Disneyland Resort for future growth and job creation.”
The union coalition is comprised of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 83; the Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW); the Teamsters Local 495; and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324. They together represent 14,000 employees at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the Disney hotels in the area.
The union bargaining committee that’s repping the Disneyland workers — who range from custodians and ride operators to candy makers and merchandise clerks — entered into negotiations with the company on April 24, 2024. In May, the union announced that it filed unfair labor practice charges against Disney with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of workers at the resort for “unlawful discipline, intimidation and surveillance of union members exercising their right to wear union buttons at work.”
On July 9, the union coalition announced that it had scheduled a strike authorization vote for Disneyland cast members. “While Disneyland brands itself as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth,’ the reality for park employees is largely one of economic hardship,” the union said in a statement at the time. According to a survey, 73% of the cast members at the resort said they do not earn enough money to cover basic monthly expenses.
The contract for cast members at Disneyland expired June 16. The contract for Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney cast members expires Sept. 30, 2024.
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