After reaching a tentative agreement, four unions representing Disneyland Cast Members have officially struck a deal.
Disneyland
Union members had previously voted to authorize the strike, with 99% approving the plan — but Disney and the unions were able to come to an agreement before a strike ever took place. Now, the unions have agreed to a historic pay increase.
After narrowly avoiding a strike, Disney and the Master Services Council — which represents over 14,000 Cast Members who work at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney — have agreed to a new contract that will come with a 31% pay raise over the next three years.
Disneyland Cast Members
The Orange County Register reports that both the unions and Disney called the agreement “historic.”
“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.
Disneyland Cast Members ©Disney
In a statement, Disneyland Workers Rising said, “These contracts are historic for Disney cast members and we’re pleased cast members’ lives will improve as a result.”
These will be the “biggest wage increases ever” for Disneyland employees and will raise hourly pay by more than $6 over three years — from the current $19.90 to $24 in 2024 and $26 in 2026. Long-term employees will receive a 50-cent pay increase for 10 years of service and $2 for 20 years.
Cast Members
Additionally, current employees will get back pay at the new rate from June 17th, while new employees will make 90% of the new rate for the first year as the contracts go into effect immediately.
Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure
Cast Members are truly what make Disneyland and Disney World — along with the rest of the Disney parks — so magical, and they certainly wouldn’t be the same without them!
In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for the latest news from Disneyland, Disney World, and more. Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for everything you need to know!
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Collective bargaining is essential to ensure that workers are on a level playing field with their billionaire masters. Unions today. Unions tomorrow. Unions forever. I urge all of Disney’s workers to force their corporate masters to their knees and demand an equal share of Diseny’s profits. Diseny’s frontline workers are far more important than any corporate figurehead.
Be prepared for price increases. No organization faces increased operating costs like this without passing it on to customers. If any of us owned a company and faced a 30% increase in an operating expense, we too would look to pass some of it back to our customers. So while everyone supports the Cast Members being paid fairly, then don’t complain about future Disneyland price inflation.