The decision doesn’t necessarily mean workers will go on strike, but it does offer the option to do so if further negotiations fail. UFCW Local 324 said the union plans to meet again with Disney on Monday and Tuesday, adding that “a strike will always be a last resort.”
“We deeply appreciate the vital role our Cast Members play in creating memorable experiences for our Guests,” Disneyland said in a statement. statement“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.”
The company added that authorizing a strike “is not unusual as part of the negotiation process” and said Disneyland Resort “will continue to welcome guests.”
More than 1,000 union members rallied outside the entrance to Disneyland Resort on Wednesday, according to a union statement.
“We make magic for our guests,” Dee Dee Miranda, a Disneyland candy maker and bargaining committee member, said in a statement. “We provide our guests with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and it’s time Disney valued the work we do.”
In addition to UFCW 324, the three other unions representing the workers are Baker, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Mill Workers Local 83, Service Employees International Union-Service Workers of America West and Teamsters Local 495.
The union, which represents a range of workers from cleaners and ride operators to candy makers and merchandise sellers, began negotiating contract issues including wages and attendance rules in April. According to the union, 28% of Disney employees surveyed this year reported food insecurity and one-third reported experiencing housing insecurity.
The union has since accused Disney of illegally disciplining, intimidating and surveilling more than 675 union members, alleging that they were “threatened, surveilled and disciplined for wearing union badges in support of the contract campaign” during negotiations.