Disneyland employees consider strike over working conditions

Some cast members at Disneyland, the “happiest place on earth,” say the resort’s poor pay and high risk of permanent injury make them unhappy.

Four unions that together represent about 13,000 Disney workers have scheduled a vote on whether to authorize a strike to fight back against what they say is unlawful intimidation, surveillance and disciplinary threats from the entertainment giant. The National Labor Relations Board told them the unions are not currently conducting strikes.

The July 19 vote comes just months after Disney parade performers voted in May to join the Actors’ Equity Association, a union spokesman called it a “dream come true.” Most other Disneyland employees, such as cashiers and ride operators, were already unionized.

“Most people you know who perform at Disneyland end up with a permanent injury,” said Courtney Griffith, a parade artist in a new More Perfect Union documentary about Disney employees. “The magic starts to fade and you’re left with the inability to pay your rent, permanent injuries and management that doesn’t value or respect you.”

The last major strike at Disneyland occurred in September 1984. Employees at the time called it the “friendliest strike in the world.” This strike lasted 22 days and was the prelude to a law requiring a $15 per hour minimum wage for all tax-subsidized businesses at the Anaheim resorts.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast’s biggest stories and scandals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and get unlimited access to The Daily Beast’s unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.