Actors' Equity Association (AEA) said Saturday night, May 18, that 1,700 cast members of the Disneyland Resort in California, who perform in parades and as characters within the theme park, decided to unionize after three days of voting last week.
The organization first made its union membership drive public in February. By April, they had petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a vote.
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Contract Talks Begin After Certification
The result was "a landslide victory," said the labor union in a press statement, as 953 cast members voted in favor of unionization while 258 voted against it.
AEA President Kate Shindle pointed out that those people are the ones directly interacting with guests and making memories that will last a lifetime, especially for children. She said the next step would be joint efforts to enhance the employees' health and safety, pay, benefits, working conditions, and work stability.
After next week's certification by the labor relations board, contract talks with Disney will commence. While Disney has been mostly receptive, AEA has said that it does not know how long the negotiating process will take.
A representative from AEA told CNN that the company is excited to begin a "similarly productive relationship" with the Disneyland Resort, adding that they have a long history of solid connections with The Walt Disney Company, which includes Walt Disney World and Disney Theatricals.
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