David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union-United Services Workers West (SEIU-USSWW), said that a strike of 14,000 Disney workers is “imminent.”
“They are very greedy in their way of negotiating,” Huerta told La Opinión. “They don’t take into account what people are demanding from them, they don’t consider their poverty wages, as well as dignity, respect and better treatment.”
On July 19, thousands of Disney employees will vote for or against going on strike, depending on the “fair” contract they are asking for. The results will be announced a day later.
The contract for Disneyland Cast Members expired on June 16, 2024. The contract for Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney Cast Members will end on September 30.
Workers at Disneyland, “the happiest place on earth,” are living the nightmare of not being able to support themselves and their families, to the point that some have had to live in their cars because they can’t even pay the rent.
This is the case of Cyn Carranza, a woman of Latin origin, who works as a janitor assistant at the Anaheim theme park.
“Last summer I was homeless, living in my car because I couldn’t afford a place to live,” Cyn said. “This has been a challenge for me to get back on my feet.”
Some 14,000 members of SEIU-USWW, Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union Local 83 and those affiliated with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324 will vote on whether or not to strike Teamsters Local 495.
“The workers have told us that they are willing to go on strike, but they are hopeful that these negotiations will move forward,” Huerta said. “They are going to reject the offer of poverty wages and we have a very good chance of a very ugly strike.”
Two days before the vote, on July 17, workers and union leaders are planning a massive demonstration in front of Disneyland on Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue, at the entrance to Disneyland.
The potential work stoppage would affect Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and Disney hotels.
“Labor violations”
The strike authorization vote follows alleged unfair labor practices alleging “hundreds of labor violations” by Disney during negotiations, which have interfered with securing a “fair” new contract for unionized workers. Their contractual relationship with Disney expired in June.
“We are still negotiating,” Cyn Carranza said. “We really need to get our wages to a level that allows us to live; Disneyland is investing $2 billion in expansion.”
Indeed, the city of Anaheim has approved the Walt Disney Company’s “Disneyland Forward” project to reimagine its theme park complex with new attractions, shops, restaurants and hotels.
The company says the updated theme park would create “new magic” for the city of Anaheim, promising 13,000 new jobs and more than $202 million in additional tax revenue. In exchange, Disney demanded relaxed zoning rules and a proposal to privatize roads near the park.
“At the end of the day, we are not valued,” Cyn Carranza said. “We are paid just a small salary; we are the ones working so that their CEOs make big profits and top executives get bonuses, while some of us don’t have a place to sleep at night.”
There is no progress
In the most recent talks, the Disney Workers Rising Negotiation Committee said, “Our goal in negotiations has always been to reach an agreement with Disney, one that provides Cast Members with [de la compañía] the wages they need to live in Southern California, the respect they deserve for the years they have dedicated to the company, and an attendance policy that works for everyone while keeping park visitors safe.”
They added that “rather than working with us to achieve a fair contract, Disney has engaged in multiple instances of conduct that we allege constitute unfair labor practices, including unlawful discipline, intimidation, and surveillance of union members exercising their right to wear union buttons at work,”
They said that these actions were merely an attempt to prevent them from exercising their rights and to burden them with a contract that perpetuates the status quo at Disney.
“We will not accept less than what we deserve because we know our value to Disney,” they said, while maintaining that the profits from the theme parks come from their work, and from making a “magical experience” for tourists and visitors to Disneyland.
They believe that by seeing their rights undermined, Disney has only made their fight to help visitors and keep the parks safe more difficult, and, based on this, they have been “forced” to vote next week on whether to authorize the strike.
Background to the negotiations
Workers in Disney’s largest bargaining unit in California, representing a diverse set of classifications from janitors and ride operators to candy makers and merchandise clerks, have been engaged in negotiations with the company since April 24 and are fighting for fair wages and a fair attendance policy, seniority increases and safe parks for cast members and guests.
“A couple with two children should be making at least $28 or $29 an hour,” said David Huerta, president of SEIU-USWW. “I can say that what the company is doing is [Disney] The wages now are not enough to pay rent or food, and for that reason many workers have already made the decision to possibly go on strike.”
The current starting wage for a theme park service worker is $19.90 an hour.
Illegal surveillance
In May, workers filed unfair labor practice charges against Disney on behalf of 14,000 workers. They complained of unlawful discipline, intimidation and surveillance of union members exercising their right to wear union buttons at work.
The charges relate to more than 675 Disney cast members who unions say have been intimidated, monitored and disciplined for wearing union buttons in support of their contract campaign. The charges are currently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.
According to a survey of 3,700 workers, UFCW Local 325 reported that 73% of the cast members who make Disney’s multi-million dollar profits possible reported that they don’t make enough money to cover their basic expenses each month. A separate survey found that:
Nearly three in 10 cast members (28%) report experiencing food insecurity.
64% of cast members are “stressed about rent” for their homes, spending more than half of their monthly salaries on rent.
33% of cast members experienced housing insecurity last year and 42% had to miss work for medical treatment because they did not have enough sick days.
“Forty-five percent of those who responded to the survey identified themselves as Latino,” SEIU-USWW spokesperson Sebastian Silva told La Opinión.
Disney’s stance
“Negotiations between Disneyland Resort and the Master Services Council, which represents four major unions and nearly 14,000 Disneyland Resort Cast Members including: Attractions, Confectioners, Costumers, Custodial, Front Entrance, Parking, Resort Transportation, Store Operations, Equipment Centers and Anaheim Downtown Distribution, began in late April 2024 and ongoing discussions have taken place over the past several months,” the Disney company said in a statement.
“The official Disneyland Park Master Services Council contract expired on June 16 and the Master Services Council declined to enter into a contract extension.”
“We respect and value our Cast Members and recognize the important role they play in creating happiness for our guests. With the next meeting scheduled for July 22, we remain committed to continuing discussions and reaching an agreement with the Master Services Council that focuses on what matters most to our current Cast Members, helps us attract new cast members and positions Disneyland Resort for growth and more job creation.”