The cast members at one of Disney’s top theme parks have a bone to pick with the company, and if that means violating a top rule to get their point across, they’re not afraid to do that.
Disneyland’s unionized cast members were recently spotted handing out banned pro-union buttons to the park’s visitors, according to a new report from The Orange County Register. The buttons had Mickey Mouse’s white-gloved hand raised in a fist, which symbolizes fighting oppression. Union members were also asking guests to sign a petition to support their fight for wage increases at the company.
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The move by the unionized Disneyland workers comes after over 550 were allegedly disciplined and faced intimidation tactics by the company last month for wearing the buttons on their costumes. This led the Master Services Council, which represents 13,000 Disneyland employees from four unions, to file unfair labor practice charges against the company for its response, which are set to be investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.
“Cast members have been at the bargaining table for months trying to win a fair contract because we deserve more, but the company has been busy breaking the law, surveilling, intimidating and disciplining cast members for exercising their rights,” said Michi Cordell, a Disneyland employee, in a press release on June 11. “These unfair labor practices are hindering our ability to get the fair contract we deserve, and Disney must be held accountable and prevented from further threatening us, the cast members who make the magic for guests on a daily basis.”
In response to the filed charges by the union last month, Disneyland said that cast members are barred from wearing buttons that are not part of their costumes.
“Disneyland Resort cast members may only wear buttons and pins that are a part of their costumes while at work so that the show is maintained for our guests,” said a Disney spokesperson in a statement to CBS News on June 12.
Disneyland employees have been in contract negotiation talks with the company since April (their contracts expired on June 16), hoping to land more fair compensation for workers who are reportedly struggling to make ends meet.
“While Disneyland brands itself as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth,’ the reality for park employees is one of economic hardship,” said Disney Workers Rising, a union representing Disneyland workers, in the June 11 press release.
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According to Disney Workers Rising, 73% of Disneyland cast members don’t make enough money to cover basic monthly expenses. The union also claims that 3 in 10 cast members struggle with food insecurity, and 64% are spending more than half of their monthly paychecks on rent.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a Disneyland Resort cast member is between $15 to $19 per hour. The minimum wage in California recently increased to $16 an hour in January this year due to inflation, which has caused prices for items to skyrocket across the country. According to NerdWallet, consumer price inflation increased by 21.75% between January 2020 and May 2024.
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During contract negotiations with the union in May, Disneyland reportedly offered cast members a wage increase of less than $1 per year for five years, which Disney Workers Rising strongly rejected.
“These proposed increases come nowhere near what we need to live in Southern California and raise a family,” wrote the union in an Instagram post. “What’s even more insulting is that they want to lock us into a five-year contract without any opportunity to bargain for wage increases or better working conditions. Think about the last five years, where we have dealt with a pandemic and years of record inflation.”
Disney (DIS) currently owns 12 theme parks across its six resorts in the U.S., Europe and Asia, and its revenue from the business is currently experiencing significant growth. During the second quarter of 2024, it earned over $8.3 billion from its theme parks alone, a 10% increase from what it earned during the same period last year.
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