Source: AFP
Unions representing employees at the Disneyland theme park in California reached a tentative agreement with the company on Wednesday, averting a major strike at the “happiest place on Earth.”
The unions, which represent about 14,000 Disneyland Resort employees, had been negotiating with the entertainment giant for wage increases and other benefits since April.
“We are proud to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement with Disney, which we will be recommending to our fellow cast members,” a statement from the organizers said, using a term for Disneyland employees.
After last year’s writers and actors strike paralyzed Hollywood, another major labor movement within Disney would be historic.
Workers at its California theme parks haven’t gone on strike since 1984, according to the Los Angeles Times.
But their grievances included low wages and allegations of intimidation used by managers, prompting a complaint to be filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
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The union claims more than 500 workers have been reprimanded, threatened or warned of disciplinary action for wearing a union pin, which depicts a Mickey Mouse glove raised in the shape of a fist.
Last week, hundreds of Disneyland employees protested outside the theme parks in Anaheim, a suburb of Los Angeles. About 99 percent of members voted to authorize the strike.
“We have shown Disney that we are the true creators of park magic, and today we are proving that when workers stand together for what they deserve, we win,” the unions’ statement said.
The deal includes a three-year contract with “significant salary increases for all cast members, seniority increases and retention of premiums.”
It also addresses “issues that will make the attendance policy work better for cast members,” said a statement from the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
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The tentative agreement still requires approval by union members, who will vote on Monday.
Disney confirmed the deal in a statement on Wednesday.
“We care deeply about the well-being of our cast members and are pleased to reach a tentative agreement … that addresses what matters most to our cast while positioning the Disneyland Resort for future growth and job creation.” , he said.
Source: AFP
