Workers who portray iconic Disney characters and perform in parades at Southern California’s Disneyland Resort have voted to join the Actors’ Equity Association, the union announced on Saturday night.
In a National Labor Relations Board vote, 79% of the Disneyland Resort’s cast members voted to join Equity, with 953 in favor and 258 against, according to the union.
If there are no election challenges, the vote will be certified within a week, Equity stated.
“The next step will be to collaborate with them (the workers) about improving health and safety, wages, benefits, working conditions, and job security,” said Actors’ Equity Association President Kate Shindle in a statement. “After that, we will meet with representatives of the Walt Disney Company to negotiate those priorities into a first contract.”
Equity already represents character performers at Walt Disney World in Orlando, as well as Disney on Broadway performers.
Most of the more than 35,000 workers at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, the home of Disney’s first theme park, are already unionized. Parade and character workers announced their plans to unionize in February to address safety concerns and scheduling, among other issues.
Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort character performers have been non-union employees since Disneyland opened in 1955, Equity noted.
Disney has a significant presence in Anaheim, operating two theme parks — Disneyland and Disney California Adventure — and a shopping and entertainment area called Downtown Disney. Disneyland, the company’s oldest park, was the world’s second-most visited theme park in 2022, attracting 16.8 million visitors, according to a report by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM.
Founded in 1913, Equity represents over 51,000 actors and stage managers nationwide.
