The union coalition representing 14,000 Disneyland workers said it has reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year deal, ruling out — for now — the possibility of a crippling strike at the theme park's properties in Southern California.
In a statement released by the Disney Labor Negotiating Committee on July 24, the committee said: “We have reached a tentative agreement with Disney. We have fought hard over the past four months, and this tentative agreement would not have been possible without the strength we demonstrated last week by protesting and voting against unfair labor practices.”
According to the union, the new three-year contract includes “significant pay increases” for all covered employees, seniority increases and premium retention. The contract also addresses issues “that will make attendance policy work better for team members,” it said.
The Disney Labor Union Negotiating Committee said the interim agreement will not be final until union members vote to accept it. “We believe this three-year agreement meets our needs and gives us the wages, seniority increases, bonuses and protections we deserve, but nothing is final until we all have the opportunity to review and vote on the offer,” the committee said. The union said it will vote on the interim agreement on Monday, July 29, from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Disneyland site.
“We care deeply about the well-being of our cast members, and we are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the Home Services Council that addresses what matters most to our cast members while positioning Disneyland Resort for future growth and job creation,” Jessica Good, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, said in an emailed statement.
The union coalition consists of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Mills (BCTGM) Local 83; Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers of the West (SEIU-USWW); Teamsters Local 495 and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324. Together, they represent 14,000 employees at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and Disney hotels in the area.
The union negotiating committee representing Disneyland workers — who range from guards and ride operators to candy makers and merchandise employees — entered into negotiations with the company on April 24, 2024. In May, the union announced it had filed unfair labor practices lawsuits against Disney on behalf of 14,000 resort workers for “unlawful discipline, intimidation, and surveillance of union members who exercise their right to wear union buttons at work.”
“While Disneyland bills itself as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth,’ the reality for park employees is one of great economic hardship,” the union said in a July 9 statement. According to a survey, 73 percent of resort staff members said they don’t make enough money to cover basic expenses each month.
Disneyland cast member contracts expire on June 16. Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney cast member contracts expire on September 30, 2024.
