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A majority of Disneyland solid members who carry out as characters akin to Mickey and Minnie Mouse and dance in parades on the amusement park, in California, voted to unionize with the Actors’ Equity Association on Saturday, the union mentioned.
The Actors’ Equity Association, the nationwide labor union that represents greater than 51,000 skilled actors and stage managers, mentioned it had exceeded the brink it wanted in a vote overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, successful a 79 p.c majority with 953 sure votes and 258 no votes, in accordance with a press release.
Among the important thing points that introduced staff collectively to struggle for illustration in future negotiations with the corporate have been securing enhancements in security and scheduling and demanding “a dwelling wage,” in addition to different office advantages, the union mentioned.
“They say that Disneyland is ‘the place the place desires come true,’ and for the Disney solid members who’ve labored to arrange a union, their dream got here true immediately,” Kate Shindle, the actor affiliation’s president, mentioned in a press release on Saturday.
In a press release on Sunday, a Disneyland spokeswoman mentioned that “it’s untimely for the corporate to touch upon the outcomes.”
Union leaders had already counted a symbolic victory in bringing collectively the employees who outline the park’s expertise for the numerous guests who work together and take images with the beloved Disney characters.
“These staff are on the entrance strains of the visitor expertise; they’re the human beings who create lifelong reminiscences when your youngsters hug a personality, or when your loved ones watches a parade roll by the fort,” Ms. Shindle added.
The unionization vote comes after different current organizing efforts involving leisure and enormous corporations nationwide. In September, the Writers Guild of America, which represents greater than 11,000 screenwriters, reached a tentative deal on a brand new contract with leisure corporations, ending a monthslong strike that, together with a simultaneous actors’ strike, had shut down tv and movie manufacturing.
On Friday, about 56 p.c of staff at Mercedes-Benz crops in Alabama voted to reject the United Automobile Workers’ push to arrange, regardless of profitable unionization campaigns elsewhere within the South, in Tennessee and North Carolina, this 12 months. And in March, Starbucks and the union that represents its staff, Workers United, mentioned they have been starting discussions a few “foundational framework” to assist them attain labor agreements.
The Disneyland vote decided whether or not a gaggle of 1,700 staff at Anaheim, Calif., who play characters, dance in parades, work together with park friends and practice performers, might be part of the union. Most of the resort’s work drive was already unionized.
The union represents performers and stage managers at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in addition to these with Disney Theatrical Group on Broadway and who work on nationwide excursions.
If there aren’t any challenges to Saturday’s vote, the regional director of the National Labor Relations Board will certify the outcomes inside every week, the union mentioned, including that the results of future negotiations will create a greater expertise for each staff and friends.
The Disneyland Resort, which opened in 1955, consists of Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure, three accommodations and Downtown Disney, in accordance with the union.
