Disneyland strike averted

Unions representing Disneyland theme park employees in California reached a tentative deal with the company on Wednesday, averting a major strike at the “happiest place on Earth.”

The unions, which represent some 14,000 Disneyland Resort employees, had been in negotiations with the giant entertainment company over wage increases and other benefits since April.

“We are proud to announce we have reached a tentative agreement with Disney that we will recommend to our fellow cast members,” said a statement from organisers, using a term for Disneyland employees.

After last year’s writers and actors strike paralysed Hollywood, another major labour movement within Disney would have been historic. Employees at its California theme parks have not 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 filed with the National Labor Relations Board. The union claims that over 500 employees have been reprimanded, threatened or warned about 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. Some 99 percent of members voted in favour of the strike authorisation.

“We have shown Disney that we are the true magic makers of the park and today proves that when workers stand together for what they deserve, we win,” said the unions’ statement.

The deal includes a three-year contract with “significant wage increases for all cast members, seniority increases and the 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.

The tentative agreement still requires approval from union members, who will vote on Monday. Disney confirmed the agreement in a statement Wednesday.

“We care deeply about the wellbeing of our cast members and are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement... that addresses what matters most to our cast while positioning Disneyland Resort for future growth and job creation,” it said.