Disneyland union files charges against Disney in Mickey button dispute
A coalition of labor organizations representing thousands of Disneyland employees has filed unfair labor practice charges against Disney for allegedly “threatening to discipline” workers for wearing union pins depicting Mickey Mouse’s raised fist.
Master Services Council — which represents 13,000 custodians, ride operators, candy makers, merchandise clerks and other workers at the Anaheim amusement park — accused Disney on Tuesday of unlawfully disciplining, intimidating and surveilling employees for “exercising their right to wear union buttons at work” amid their contract negotiations with the Burbank-based entertainment giant.
The Disneyland Resort employees who play costumed characters in the parks, parades or hotels have voted to unionize, citing issues such as pay and working conditions.
In a statement provided Thursday to The Times, Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good said that “cast members may only wear buttons and pins that are a part of their costumes while at work so that the show is maintained for our guests.”
The bargaining unit maintains that wearing the buttons at work is a legitimate form of union activity and that Disney cannot legally take action against employees for violating a dress code, regardless of what uniform they are required to wear or how regularly they interact with guests.
A Disney spokesperson said that supervisors have been asking workers to remove accessories that are not part of their approved costume and that only repeat incidents lead to disciplinary action, starting with a verbal warning. They added that “less than a handful” of disciplinary actions have been taken.
The Master Services Council alleged that more than 550 employees were surveilled, intimidated and disciplined for wearing the pins. The employees affixed the buttons in a show of solidarity as part of their ongoing contract campaign.
‘The fairy dust fades away’: Why the people who play Disneyland’s costumed characters are unionizing
Character performers at Disneyland Resort have filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, per the Actors’ Equity Assn.
Talks between the unions and the company commenced on April 24. The Master Services Council contract expires on Sunday. Wages remain a top priority among workers, who say the “reality for park employees is one of economic hardship.”
“Cast members have been at the bargaining table for months trying to win a fair contract because we deserve more, but the company has been busy ... disciplining cast members for exercising their rights,” said Michi Cordell, a Fairy Godmother’s Apprentice at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Disneyland.
“These unfair labor practices are hindering our ability to get the fair contract we deserve and Disney must be held accountable and prevented from further threatening us, the cast members who make the magic for guests on a daily basis.”
Amid a contract fight, a coalition of four major Disney unions have alleged that the company unlawfully intimidated, surveilled and disciplined workers for wearing union buttons on the job.
The charges were filed less than a month after Disneyland character performers voted to unionize under the Actors’ Equity Assn. in an election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.
The workers — who portray the beloved heroes, villains, fairies, cartoon characters, princes and princesses that wave from parade floats, sign autographs, pose for photos and entertain Disneyland Resort guests — are seeking higher pay, improved health and safety standards, flexible schedules and greater involvement in workplace discussions.
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