Disneyland employees voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike ahead of its next meetings with Disney officials.
In a late Friday press release, a union coalition representing 14,000 workers at the Disneyland Resort said that 99 percent of its vote-casting members approved the strike authorization. The coalition – which includes the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 83, SEIU-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW), Teamsters Local 495, and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324 – did not say how many of its members participated in the vote.
“Disney has resorted to unlawful tactics instead of treating the bargaining process with the respect and seriousness it deserves,” the Disney Workers Rising Bargaining Committee said in a statement. “Today’s overwhelming unfair labor practice strike authorization vote sends a clear message to the company: we are stronger together and will not be divided by scare tactics.”
The strike authorization vote is no guarantee of a strike and unions routinely hold such votes during contract negotiations. However, the authorization means a strike could occur at any time if talks break down.
Disney and the unions are scheduled to meet again on Monday, July 22, and Tuesday, July 23. The negotiations cover a contract for 9,000 workers at Disneyland Park which expired on June 16. A separate contact covering employees at Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney runs until Sept. 30.
In response to the strike authorization vote, Disneyland spokesperson Jessica Good told KABC, “We greatly appreciate the important roles our cast members play in creating memorable experiences for our guests, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement that focuses on what matters most to them while positioning Disneyland Resort for growth and job creation.”
Last month, the union coalition had accused Disney of unfair labor practices, alleging that the company illegally “intimidated, surveilled and disciplined” hundreds of workers for wearing union buttons.
Disney denied the accusations. The complaint remains pending before the National Labor Relations Board, which has held in recent years that employers cannot stop employees from wearing union-supporting insignia through dress code policies.
The union coalition made their discontent more public with a protest this past Wednesday outside the Disneyland entrance. Union organizers said more than 1,000 protesters participated.