On Friday, July 19, Disneyland employees in Anaheim voted to approve a strike that could lead to a work stoppage at the Southern California theme park.
The Los Angeles Times reports that 99 percent of the members of the Master Service Council, an alliance of unions that represent park workers in attractions, candy making, costuming, custodial, and more, voted to authorize the action while negotiating a labor contract that expired on June 16. The authorization to strike comes as members of the Master Services Council are advocating for better wages and other measures for workers currently experiencing food and housing insecurity. The last major work stoppage at Disneyland happened in 1984 and lasted 22 days.
A representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), a union that represents workers at Disneyland, told Eater that the union had no further comment beyond the press release the group shared on July 19. According to a FAQ on Disneyland’s website, the park will continue normal operations even if the union goes on strike. Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good issued the following statement to Eater:
“We greatly appreciate the important roles our cast members play in creating memorable experiences for our guests, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement that focuses on what matters most to them while positioning Disneyland Resort for growth and job creation. Master Services Council’s strike authorization is not unusual as part of a negotiations process, and we look forward to continuing discussions at upcoming meetings on Monday, July 22 and Tuesday, July 23. A strike date has not been scheduled, and Disneyland Resort continues to welcome guests.”
NBC News reports that the unions entered into negotiations with Disney on April 24, 2024. Ahead of the negotiations, Disneyland released a statement saying that its representatives looked forward to reaching a fair agreement for park workers. During the initial round of bargaining, the union says they brought proposals to the table that included higher wages, changes to the attendance policy, and clearer pathways to promotions and senior-level roles.
In June, the union decided not to agree to a contract extension over concerns that it would weaken its bargaining position. The Los Angeles Times reports during the same month, workers at Disney filed unfair labor practices charges against the company on behalf of 14,000 workers that alleged intimidation, surveillance, and disciplinary action against employees who were wearing union buttons. According to KCAL, over 500 employees alleged that they were penalized for wearing the union pins, but Disneyland contested the allegations. An FAQ on Disneyland’s website states that wearing union pins goes against the company’s appearance guidelines since they would distract from the immersive guest experience. The Los Angeles Times noted that the National Labor Relations Board, an independent agency that protects the rights of workers, is currently investigating the charges.
Since negotiations recommenced in June, UFCW said on its website that some progress has been made on language in the contract, but the two groups were unable to reach an agreement by the contract’s expiration date. On July 9, UFCW announced its intention to hold an unfair labor practice strike authorization vote. A week later on July 17, over 1,000 Disneyland cast members, the company name for theme park employees, rallied outside the main gates of the park in advance of the vote to strike.
The Los Angeles Times reports that in 2023, a California appellate court ruled that Disneyland ignored Anaheim’s living wage law that would have raised pay. At the time of the ruling, the Anaheim minimum wage was set at $19.40; a Disneyland worker told the paper that her hourly rate was set at $15.50, though she was also eligible for tips. According to Disneyland, wages for workers have risen over 40 percent in the last five years, but the union says that as the park continues to grow its earnings, employees are still experiencing economic hardship due to low pay.
The last few years have seen significant growth for Disneyland as the park updated attractions with new designs and animatronics, and built out entirely new themed sections. Forbes reports Disney spent $142 million to transform Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The Star Wars-themed area, Galaxy’s Edge, allegedly cost almost $1 billion to build. The Voice of OC reports that in April 2024, Anaheim approved a $2 billion park expansion with the support of workers and labor leaders who saw an opportunity for job creation. On the labor side, Colleen Palmer, a Local UFCW 324 negotiator and Disneyland merchandise hostess for 37 years, said in a BBC report that workers believe the pay gap between them and the company’s executives is too vast. She cited Disney CEO Bob Iger’s $31.6 million annual salary, hundreds of times the amount earned by Disneyland employees.
The union will continue negotiations with Disney on July 22 and 23. No date has been set for the strike yet.
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