Union member employees of Disneyland in Anaheim, California have voted to agree to what is being called the “biggest wage increases ever” in wage negotiations with the resort.
The unions managed to secure a 31% pay raise following approval of plans last week that would have okayed the possibility of a massive worker strike that would have been the first at the park in decades.
Long Fight
Disneyland union workers have been embroiled in a months-long fight with the resort over demands for higher pay and better benefits.
The stalemate between the two parties seemed to have broken last week when over 99% of union members voted to approve a strike authorization, leading to a tentative agreement.
Vote Approval
Since the tentative agreement was reached last week, union members got a chance to vote on Monday on whether to approve the new contract offered by Disneyland officials.
The vote passed, resulting in new three-year contracts with Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and Disney hotels.
Union Statement
The union bargaining committee released a statement praising the raises for employees, though did not disclose what the final vote totals were.
“By ratifying these contracts, Disney cast members have secured historic raises and policies and protections that reflect their role as magic makers in the Disney parks,” said the committee.
Tireless Work
In their statement, the union bargaining committee also took a moment to thank the hard work that employees put into securing these wage increases.
“For months hard-working cast members have stood together at the bargaining table and in the parks to ensure Disney recognized what they bring to the theme park experience, and these contracts are a concrete and direct result of this tireless work,” the statement said.
Historic Win
Union workers celebrated the huge increase, which some saw as a triumph over the forces of corporate power.
“Today’s vote is a historic win for cast members, who stood strong against corporate power and remained united in the face of unlawful actions by the company,” said Ellie Gonzalez, a custodian at Disney California Adventure and Disney Workers Rising bargaining committee member.
Building a Better Future
Gonzalez thanked her fellow cast members for their strength in pushing for better pay, and hoped that the wage increase would help enable a better future for their family.
“We secured historic wage increases that will allow me to build a better future for the family I am building. For the first time, we won longevity pay that recognizes our years of service to Disney and the critical role we play in making it one of the most profitable companies in the world. These victories wouldn’t be possible without the strength every cast member demonstrated throughout our bargaining process,” said Gonzalez.
Disney’s Statement
In the wake of the union approval for the new contract, Disney hoped that the deal would highlight the respect they had for their employees.
“We are pleased that our cast members approved the new agreements, which, along with all we offer as part of our employment experience, demonstrate how much we value and respect them and our profound commitment to their overall well-being,” said Disneyland officials.
What’s in the Agreement?
Workers at Disneyland will be receiving the biggest wage increases ever, which include a $6.10 per hour raise over three years for most employees. The minimum base pay rate at the park is now $24 an hour in 2024 and the agreement included longevity increases for veteran employees.
Employees also have a more favorable attendance and sick leave policy where they can miss work for personal issues without fearing retaliation. Since the vote has been approved, this new contract will go into effect immediately.
Future Bargaining
Disney Workers Rising, which is a group that represents 13,000 Disney employees in Anaheim, California, was celebratory about the agreement and confident in their ability to renegotiate in three years.
“Look at what we have accomplished this year, and imagine what we can do when we have three years to get even stronger before we come back to the bargaining table and sit across from Disney,” the group said in an X post.
Strike Threat
In reaction to the agreement online, some commenters felt that the threat of a strike was a major motivating factor for the favorability of the deal.
“Collective bargaining works, folks. Disney could have paid them all more but chose not to. As soon as a strike was threatened, Disney caved immediately,” said a Reddit user.
Passing the Cost to Customers
Others online worried about how the cost of the pay raise might be passed onto customers instead of the executives at the company.
“What are the chances executive compensation will be reduced to offset this and they won’t pass along this increase to customers?” said one Reddit user. “I’m guessing Disneyland tickets will be going up by about 30% then lol,” said another user.
