Mickey, Goofy and Donald want to perform in a unionized Disney clubhouse.
The “cast members” who don the costumes of the beloved characters at Disney’s California topic parks submitted a petition to have a vote on no matter whether to be part of the Actors’ Fairness Association, the union store which represents are living performers such as Broadway actors and even strippers.
The team arranging the petition reported that it experienced amassed signatures from extra than two-thirds of the 1,700 Disneyland staff as of Thursday.
“The solid members who bring the people and parades to daily life have been non-union considering the fact that Disneyland Resort opened in the 1950s and have viewed other staff in the park unionize all around them,” explained Equity President Kate Shindle.
The cast members’ wages had been raised from $20 an hour to $24.15 an hour in January – a 20.8% boost. The subsequent thirty day period, a union arranging generate failed to garner a adequate selection of signatures.
The Anaheim cast customers are wanting to replicate the achievement of their counterparts at Walt Disney Entire world in Orlando, Fla., the place 32,000 hourly personnel managed to get a raise of up to $3 an hour final calendar year right after ratifying a collective bargaining arrangement with the company.
Disneyland employs much more than 21,000 forged users represented by a lot more than a dozen unions in different sectors together with retail, foodstuff assistance workers and protection guards.
But the performers who dress up as popular Disney people and interact with visitors are not represented by a union.
“These performers, and the hosts, sales opportunities and trainers who develop magic along with them, know that their lives — as nicely as the guest encounter at Disneyland — can be improved through collective bargaining,” Shindle said.
“They should have a voice in their place of work, and meaningful negotiations more than wages, positive aspects and operating situations.”
A Disney spokesperson stated: “We help our forged members’ proper to a confidential vote that acknowledges their person selections.”
With Put up wires
