By Rebecca Mezistrano and Ross Kohan | The Street
The Happiest Place on Earth is dealing with some not-so-happy employees. 1,700 Disneyland cast members who play characters in the California theme park have voted to unionize under the Actors’ Equity Association. Disneyland has more than 21,000 total cast members, from food service workers to hair and make-up artists, and they’re represented by more than a dozen different unions.
Until now, those who dress up as famous Disney characters around the park have been excluded from unions.
But now they’ll have their say, with the Actors’ Equity Association saying in a statement “These workers are on the front lines of the Guest experience; they’re the human beings who create lifelong memories when your kids hug a character, or when your family watches a parade roll by the castle.” The cast members are seeking improved health and safety, wages, benefits, working conditions, and job security.