Disneyland Resort Character Cast Members Vote To Unionize With Actors’ Equity Association

The Disneyland Resort cast members that bring the magic to life have voted to unionize with the Actors’ Equity Association.

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“They say that Disneyland is ‘the place where dreams come true,’ and for the Disney Cast Members who have worked to organize a union, their dream came true today,” Actors’ Equity Association President Kate Shindle said in a statement on Saturday. “These workers are on the front lines of the Guest experience; they’re the human beings who create lifelong memories when your kids hug a character, or when your family watches a parade roll by the castle.

Shindle continued, “The next step will be to collaborate with them about improving health & safety, wages, benefits, working conditions and job security. After that we will meet with representatives of the Walt Disney Company to negotiate those priorities into a first contract.”

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Those who voted to unionize include the cast members who perform as characters or dance in the parades and the hosts, leads, and trainers who work alongside them. For the workers to unionize, the cast members had to receive 50% plus one vote. There were 1,700 workers eligible, and over 1,200 voted. The unofficial count was 953 in favor of the unionization, and 258 opposed it.

“This is an incredible victory, and we appreciate all the support over the past several weeks. We’re excited about the next phase,” Shindle said. “These Cast Members are both pro-union and pro-Disney, and they’re looking forward to meeting with their employer across the bargaining table in a good faith effort to make both the work experience and the Guest experience better.”

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