Actors who play Mickey Mouse and friends vote to unionize at Disneyland
Disneyland actors said yes to unionizing with the Actors' Equity Association. Actors at the California park shared concerns of low wages and injuries.
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- Disneyland actors voted to unionize with Actors' Equity Association on Saturday.
- The Disneyland union, Magic United, includes around 1,700 actors who work at the California park.
- The group cited concerns about low pay and injuries during their union drive.
Your favorite costumed characters at Disneyland now have a union behind them.
Magic United, comprised of around 1,700 actors at the Anaheim, California, theme park, voted to unionize with the Actors' Equity Association in a National Labor Relations Board vote Saturday evening.
Per the Actors' Equity Association, 953 actors voted yes to join the union, while 258 voted no.
"Welcome to Actors' Equity Association, Magic United!!!!!!!" the actor's union posted on X Saturday evening.
Actors' Equity Association President Kate Shindle also released a statement Saturday evening congratulating the Disneyland workers.
"They say that Disneyland is 'the place where dreams come true,' and for the Disney Cast Members who have worked to organize a union, their dream came true today," Shindle said.
Per the statement, if no one challenges the election, the NLRB could certify the voting results in a week.
The cast members announced their intent to unionize in February, but Disney Resort Entertainment did not voluntarily recognize their union, per The Hollywood Reporter.
"While voting is complete, there are still steps in the process prior to the election being certified, so it is premature for the company to comment on the results," Disneyland Spokesperson Jessica Good told Business Insider in a statement. "Whatever the outcome, we respect that our cast members had the opportunity to have their voices heard."
Disneyland actors told labor advocacy nonprofit More Perfect Union that they pushed to unionize because of low pay and safety concerns.
"The magic starts to fade away, and you're just left with not being able to pay rent, permanent injuries, and management who doesn't value or respect you," one actor said in a video published Thursday by More Perfect Union.