Disneyland employees who play Disney's magical characters every day at the California theme parks are reportedly looking to join a union to follow in the footsteps of their colleagues at the Florida parks.
“They love working at Disneyland. That doesn't mean they don't need enough money to live […] Everyone agrees that Disneyland is a special place. But magic alone isn't enough to pay the rent,” Kate Shindle, president of the Actor's Equity Union, told CNN Business on Tuesday.
The union has already received the support of more than 30% of the 1,700 artists at Disneyland in Orange County, who tour the enchanting location's parks in the guise of various Walt Disney Company characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy , according to the American media.
Because currently, these players would not be unionized, unlike their colleagues in retail, hospitality, security, hair and makeup, and pyrotechnics who work at the same location.
In total, Disneyland's 21,000 employees would be represented by more than a dozen unions, excluding those who appear as characters or mascots.
Additionally, the actors' colleagues, who have the exact same job but on the Disney World property in Orlando, have been part of a union for several years, according to CNN.
And until recently, they were paid more than their counterparts in California, even though the cost of living in Orange County was significantly higher — by at least 50%, according to the council. For community and economic research, the American media reported.
The union said it would wait until it had the support of at least 60 percent of workers before filing a request for representation with the National Labor Relations Board or seeking voluntary union recognition from Disney.
For its part, the company did not want to take a position for the time being, limiting itself to pointing out that it believes “that our stakeholders deserve to have all the facts and the right to a confidential vote that recognizes their individual decisions.” according to CNN.