Disneyland character performers vote to unionize

After three days of voting last week, 1,700 Disneyland Resort cast members voted to unionize under Actors’ Equity Association.

You can add Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy to the growing list of workers seeking better employment benefits. After three days of voting last week, 1,700 Disneyland Resort cast members who play characters around the theme park in Anaheim, California, as well as perform at parades, voted to unionize under Actors’ Equity Association, the union announced Saturday night. Equity described the vote as “a landslide victory,” with 953 cast members favoring unionization and 258 opposed. The group had announced a union organizing effort in February before filing for a vote with the National Labor Relations Board in April. There are more than 21,000 Disneyland “cast member” employees, who are represented by more than a dozen unions. Those unionized jobs include workers in retail, food service, security, pyrotechnic, and hair and makeup. Until now, employees dressing up as iconic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Snow White and Captain Hook have been excluded. “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,” said Actors’ Equity Association President Kate Shindle in a statement. “The next step will be to collaborate with them about improving health & safety, wages, benefits, working conditions and job security.”