Actors who portray Disney characters at Disneyland poised to take next step in unionization effort
CBSN
Workers who bring Disney characters to life at the entertainment giant's West Coast amusement parks said on Wednesday they have gathered enough signatures to unionize.
More than two-thirds of roughly 1,700 eligible Disney performers, including those who dress in character at meet-and-greets and parades at Disney's Southern California theme parks, said they have signed their union authorization cards and election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and are ready to move on to the next step. In lieu of voluntary recognition from the House of Mouse, that next step would be to hold a vote on union representation, which will likely happen in May or June, they said.
"We love the work we do," the workers said in a statement Wednesday. "We are proud to be a part of one of the greatest legacies in modern entertainment. We believe improving our collective working conditions will have a direct impact on not only cast members' lives, but the caliber of entertainment we offer at Disneyland Resort."
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