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When Anaheim’s city leaders unanimously approved Disneyland Forward earlier this year – triggering a $2 billion park expansion – the iconic theme park’s record as an employer was celebrated by city, business and labor leaders.
Yet just a few months later, park workers are painting a very different picture, publicly criticizing the company, voting on whether to go out on strike and calling on residents for support.
Disney labor representatives recently announced their filing of unfair labor practice charges against the theme park on behalf of 13,000 workers.
The charges are troubling and include unlawful discipline, intimidation and surveillance of workers wearing union buttons on the job – all being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.
Beyond those charges, more than 400 workers sounded off during a loud rally Wednesday outside the theme park, saying Disneyland doesn’t pay as good as they claim.
“I have two kids to care for. Our rent, our food – our cost of living – all went up,” said Darlene, a seamstress for Disneyland during a Wednesday rally outside of the entertainment juggernaut’s flagship theme park.
More than two dozen employees interviewed Wednesday expressed fears of retaliation by management in their push for better wages – many didn’t want to give their names.
“I put in 19 years with the company, I love it, I love sewing, but I just wish they’d pay us better,” Darlene said, adding that she makes only 7 cents more per hour than new employees due to the city’s minimum wage law a judge recently ordered Disney to follow.
[Read: Disneyland Workers Could Get Nearly $20 an Hour Following Appeals Court Ruling]
Her colleague chimed in during the interview:
“I’ve been here eight months and I should not be making as much as her,” said another seamstress, who didn’t want to give her name out of fears of management retaliation.
The results of a strike vote are expected to be released Saturday.
A host of unions are in the middle of negotiations – including the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 83, the Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW), the Teamsters Local 495 and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324.
The negotiating groups don’t include employees who perform as characters – those workers voted to unionize with the Actors’ Equity Association in May.
Meanwhile, the contract for Disneyland workers expired June 16.
Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney employees operate under a different contract that expires on Sept. 30.
Touting The Mouse as a Great Employer
Back in April, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock testified to city leaders that the resort was a “premier employer,” a destination of choice for military veterans seeking work, a place where one in eight workers get to participate in the Aspire program, providing fully paid college tuition.
As an employer, Potrock boasted that in the past five years, over 1,200 workers had gone from hourly jobs to salaried positions.
There’s 1,700 people on the hiring wait list, he said, adding that the applicant-to-hire ratio is a whopping 9:1.
“Clearly, Disneyland resort is an employer of choice,” Potrock said, highlighting that one in every seven cast members lives in Anaheim.
Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken and most of the city council also cast Disneyland in a bright light as an employer – ultimately voting unanimously to support the initiative.
Councilmember Jose Diaz, a Republican who ultimately supported the deal, was the only elected official to raise wage concerns directly to Disney officials from the dais at an earlier January workshop meeting.
“Are these minimum wage jobs? How are they going to get paid? I’m concerned how they are going to get paid,” Diaz said. ““I was hoping that Disney would pay at least a little bit more above minimum wage.”
[Read: Anaheim Approves $2 Billion Disneyland Forward Expansion]
During April’s theme park expansion approval meeting, Councilman Carlos Leon echoed the ultimate council mood on the dais, telling Disneyland officials he felt comfortable putting his trust in them.
Regional business and labor representatives also contributed to the notion of Disneyland as a great place to work.
In her public testimony to council members, Orange County’s Labor Federation Executive Director Gloria Alvarado praised Disneyland as an employer.
“We believe in the jobs, the good union jobs, that this initiative will create,” she said referring to Disneyland Forward. “We believe heartedly that every single worker will have an opportunity, not only to have a good job, but a good job with benefits,” she said.
Alvarado noted that the Labor Federation represents 250,000 workers who belong to a union in Orange County – “from the hospitality to the building trades.”
Quoting Walt Disney, Alvarado said “it takes people to make the dream a reality,” adding, “I have the honor to represent the people that make it magical, that create the experience for all, those who work at Disneyland.”
“Everyone took a stand on March 28,” she noted, “and said we need to support Disneyland Forward.”
“We want to make sure it’s understood that a partnership like this will only create more income for our beautiful Orange County and Anaheim,” she said.
Similar sentiments – about how good of an employer Disneyland is – was echoed by Jeff Ball, President and CEO for the OC Business Council who stressed that the theme park wasn’t asking for any tax breaks.
If anything, Ball said, the park was committing to a host of community investments, such as good jobs.
He also highlighted the company’s Aspire college program, noting it covers 100% of tuition fees for more than 16,000 employees.
Most importantly, Ball stressed that “Disney offers competitive wages and benefits, which underscores its commitment to its workforce and the local community,” adding that the average tenure for Disneyland workers was 11 years.
What do City and Labor Leaders Say Now?
Given the talk of a strike – something I know workers don’t take lightly – I reached out to two of those officials last week, who both defended their complements.
“Nobody wants labor unrest in their city,” Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said.
“But I’m confident that both sides are coming together, talking,” she added.
“I’m excited to see what Disney is going to bring, build in Anaheim. But we can’t let that excitement go over workers that are going to be there everyday delivering positive memories for the families that come to visit.”
“For me, the workers are the real magic,” she said.
Aitken also said she has confidence in the union leadership representing the workers.
“The system works,” Aikten said. “If we didn’t have such a strong labor presence in Anaheim, I might.be more concerned.”
“I know how hard union leadership works,” she said.
The head of Orange County’s Labor Federation, Gloria Alvarado, also defended her group’s advocacy of Disneyland Forward in a text message exchange.
“With that said, OCLF will always stand with our members first and foremost in the fight for good faith negotiations, respect, and dignity during contract negotiations,” Alvarado added.
Yet I asked her how can local labor officials depict such a starkly different description of a major employer just months apart?
“Locals always go through contract negotiations,” she texted back, adding, “that is different from supporting a project that brings additional good paying union jobs to OC.”
What Does Disney Say?
On Wednesday, just ahead of a worker rally, Disneyland media officials emailed a statement back to me in response to a request for comment.
“With today’s planned rally, we continue to be focused on the wellbeing of our guests and cast members. We remain committed to the upcoming meetings on July 22-23 and reaching an agreement with Master Services that focuses on what matters most to cast members, positions Disneyland Resort for growth and job creation and enables us to continue delivering incredible guest experiences.”
What Do Workers Say?
During a Wednesday afternoon rally, Disney cast members were much more vocal and didn’t hesitate to let local residents know what they think of Disneyland as an employer.
Our newsroom hit the ground to hear their insights.
Most were nervous about being quoted by name with nearly three dozen workers who talked to reporters asking that their full names not be used.
George, a Disneyland employee who didn’t want to give his last name because he fears retaliation, said working for the entertainment juggernaut is “okay.”
“But the cost of living has gone up,” George said. “Disney is a billion dollar company and it’s only right that they treat their employees good.”
He added, “We’re just out here fighting for fair wages. Fast food workers are making more than a lot of us so it’s frustrating.”
And nearly every of the over two dozen employees interviewed during the rally said they saw their colleagues face retaliation for wearing pins depicting Mickey Mouse’s fist to support their push for higher wages.
All of them said they’re pushing for better hourly pay, with many saying their colleagues are pushing for a strike.
Disneyland employee Marie said she went to work for the company after she raised her children and quickly found out the pay increases are too scarce.
“I love working here, but I cannot keep doing it for this kind of pay,” Singer said during Wednesday’s rally. “The benefits are good, but my pay is below $20 an hour.”
Half a dozen seamstresses told Voice of OC that they’re making $10 less an hour than the industry standard.
Darlene, the seamstress, also said many of her coworkers are talking about striking.
“Something has to happen.”
Editor’s note: Ashleigh Aitken’s father, Wylie Aitken, chairs Voice of OC’s board of directors.
Voice of OC Director of Photography Julie Leopo and Civic Editor Spencer Custodio contributed to this column.
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