Union Representation Coming for 1,700 Disneyland Characters and Parades Cast Members in Disneyland
Union representation for 1,700 Disneyland characters and parades Cast Members is coming soon! Calling themselves “Magic United,” Cast Members who work in the Disneyland resort’s Characters and Parades departments announced today that they are unionizing with Actors’ Equity Association.
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Equity, as it is more commonly called, is the national union that represents 51,000 professional actors and stage managers on Broadway and in live theatre across the United States, including the performers at Walt Disney World in Florida.
Magic United is currently collecting union authorization cards from 1,700 Cast Members for voluntary recognition from Disney Resort Entertainment. If the majority signs, the union will seek recognition; otherwise, Equity will submit the cards to 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. Following a vote in favor, the company will be legally obligated to negotiate a contract with Equity’s representatives.
The bargaining unit comprises Cast Members from the Characters department responsible for bringing Disney magic to life, including parade performers and supporting roles like Hosts, Trainers, and Leads.
Magic United Cast Members at Disneyland Resort perform diverse functions, often juggling multiple roles across different departments. Despite these differences, they share a common passion to initiate constructive dialogues with their employers. Their goals include addressing issues such as ensuring safe and sanitary workplace conditions, fair wages, and greater transparency in scheduling and rehiring practices.
The leaders of Magic United echoed released the following statement today:
“As the Entertainment Cast Members at the Disneyland Resort, it is time for us to come together as a union, to use our collective power to ensure that the park is a safer, more sustainable place to build careers and share magic with Guests from all over the world.
“We chose Actors’ Equity Association as our union because we’ve seen how well they work with Disney in Florida, on Broadway and on tour. Our Walt Disney World colleagues exemplify how you can be pro-Disney and pro-union at the same time. Furthermore, the vast majority of our park colleagues here in Anaheim already have union representation. It’s a win/win: when we can speak with a collective voice, we can have a clearer, more productive conversation with our employer. Ultimately this will result in a better experience for all – Cast Members, managers and more importantly, our Guests.
“We find inspiration in Disney every day, in the stories that we get to tell. Whether we are meeting Guests up close or dazzling them with a parade, we know we are making lifelong memories. And now, we’re laying the groundwork for the future of entertainment employment at the Disneyland Resort. With Magic United, we can work together with each other and with Disney leadership to ensure our talents remain central to the Disneyland experience for generations to come. We are the Magic! We are the union!”
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