BURBANK, Calif.—Unions representing Disneyland workers that authorized a strike July 19, saying executives of the family entertainment company had refused to negotiate in good faith, were back at the bargaining table Monday.
The two sides are expected to continue contract talks through July 23. If they can’t agree to a new contract, the unions could walk off the job in the first strike at the park in 40 years.
Before the strike vote, more than 1,000 union workers held a rally outside Disneyland’s main entrance July 17.
“We’re back at the bargaining table today,” a union representative said in a post on X Monday. “Because of the rally and the strike vote, we’re in a very strong position. It’s going to be a long next couple of days.”
About 80 percent of Disneyland’s workers in Southern California are represented by a coalition of unions, including the Teamsters Local 495, Bakery Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, Grain Millers Local 83, Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 324.
“Our goal for negotiations has always been to reach an agreement with Disney that provides cast members with wages they need to live in Southern California, the respect they deserve for the years they’ve dedicated to the company and an attendance policy that works for everyone,” according to the union.
Negotiations between Disneyland Resort and the Master Services Council, which represents four major unions and nearly 14,000 workers at the Anaheim theme park, began in April. Conversations have continued throughout the last few months, according to Disney.
The council’s contract expired June 16, and leaders declined to extend it, according to Disney.
Disney said the strike authorization was “not unusual” as a part of the negotiations process.
The park remains open during contract negotiations and would stay open during a strike, according to the company’s website.
The Teamsters are pushing for seniority rights, better benefits, safer working conditions, and greater respect on the job.
“We are fed up with being pushed around by Disney and are ready to fight back against its unfair labor practices,” said David Hernandez, a monorail operator and liaison between Teamsters Local 495 and Disney management, in a statement Monday.
Unions allege Disney has unlawfully disciplined and intimidated some workers for wearing union buttons at work. The charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board, according to a union statement July 17.
More than 500 employees claim they were penalized for wearing the union pins, which depicts Mickey Mouse’s white gloved hand held up in a fist against a white background.
Disneyland pushed back against the allegation on its website, saying the “Disney Look” is rooted in the company’s history and presents a standard that allows guests to enjoy an immersive experience.
“While Disneyland brands itself as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’ the reality for park employees is largely one of economic hardship,” the unions said in the press release last week.
A 2018 survey published by the Economic Roundtable, a nonprofit research organization, shows Disneyland employees reported high instances of homelessness, food insecurity, ever-shifting work schedules, extra-long commutes, and low wages.
More than 85 percent of union workers at Disneyland make less than $15 an hour, according to the survey.
The average hourly wage for Disneyland Resort workers dropped 15 percent from 2000 to 2017, from $15.8 to $13.36, the survey said.
More than one out of 10 employees reported having been homeless, or not having a place of their own to sleep in the past two years.
The survey also reported that more than two-thirds of the resort’s workers are food insecure, meaning they don’t have enough food.
