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Disneyland, one of the most popular destinations for families, has long provided the employees behind its parades and costumed characters with paid leave in the weeks after they become new parents.
But now those full-time and part-time workers, organized under the union Actors’ Equity Assn., say Disney has threatened to take that benefit away, as they negotiate a new contract that includes proposals for higher wages, among other items.
The 1,700 workers in the unit known as Magic United began bargaining their first contract in October 2024 and have yet to reach agreement with Disney over key issues. They are the people supporting Disneyland’s parades, shows and character operations, including some who perform as iconic characters such as Mickey Mouse, Snow White and Cinderella.
They organized over several issues, including safety and health concerns. The start rate for parade and pageant helpers is $26 an hour, while the start rate for stage scheduling assistants is $28.25 an hour, according to the union. About 60% of the unit are part-time workers.
Disney’s current proposal does not include paid parental leave, eliminates a paid holiday and reduces how much Disney matches employee contributions to their 401(k) plans, union members said.
A Disney manager under the direction of Christie Sutherland, head of labor relations at Disney Experiences, wrote to Actors’ Equity leadership saying, “Our proposal does not include Paid Parental Leave,” according to an April 6 email viewed by The Times, which the union provided in response to a statement from the company. The manager also said the company’s proposal includes cutting the number of paid holidays for Magic United full-time workers from 12 to 11.
Disneyland Resort spokeswoman Jessica Jakary said proposals may change and noted that the bargaining unit is new and that the ongoing contract negotiations are establishing initial employment terms and conditions for the first time, rather than modifying an existing contract. As a result, no benefits were being cut, she said. The 11 holidays match the benefit that more than 80% of Disneyland Resort employees receive, Jakary said.
“Disneyland Resort values its cast members, offers competitive benefits and is proud of its long history of working collaboratively with the unions that represent them,” Jakary said.
“They are trying to strip away the very things that make the Disneyland experience what it is,” said Al Vincent Jr., Actors’ Equity’s executive director. “When you propose to take away paid parental leave from those who work day in and day out to give other families great experiences, that’s not family friendly.”
Character performers at Disneyland Resort have filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, per the Actors’ Equity Assn.
The workers received paid parental leave before they organized, under terms Disney set on its own. Once they voted to unionize, the company and the union began negotiating a first contract from the ground up, a process in which existing benefits carry no guarantee. That is why Disney can say no benefits are being cut while workers say they are losing them.
Disney currently provides up to eight weeks of paid parental leave. Union workers can also apply for state financial assistance for family leave, which can temporarily replace 70% to 90% of a worker’s salary, depending on their income.
Last year, 25 people in the unit took baby bonding leave, according to the union. In its fiscal second quarter, Disney’s domestic parks and experiences division generated $6.9 billion, up 6% from a year earlier.