Disneyland cast members being underpaid is sadly nothing new. For decades, cast members and park fans alike have advocated for higher wages, better benefits, and employee support across different roles. In 1984, tensions boiled over and the largest cast member strike in history began.
In the early 80s, Disneyland wanted to freeze cast member wages for two years, eliminate health insurance for part-time employees, and expand outsourcing. Five different unions opposed this offer together: Teamsters Local 88, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 324, Bakery and Confectionery Workers Local 66, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 681, and SEIU Local 399. As a result, 1,800 cast members – both in-park and behind-the-scenes roles – went on strike starting September 25, 1984.
Source: Van Eaton Galleries
To deal with the cast member shortage, Disneyland quickly trained and sent office workers into other roles. But this band-aid didn’t last long. The company filed a $250,000 lawsuit to ban the picketing outside the park gates, and threatened workers with a letter stating to return or be replaced. In response, the striking workers held a candlelight vigil outside the park. Then, 120 workers stood directly in front of the park gates, resulting in 6 arrests for violating the picketing ban and refusing to leave.
The next turn of events came from the Supreme Court, which lifted the picket ban upon appeal. Once the ban had been lifted, many of the picketers walked back to the gates to rip up the threatening letters, and the union leaders who had been arrested previously filed their own lawsuit against the park. But it was the unions’ planned a picket outside of Parks Chairman Dick Nunes’ house that brought Disney back to the negotiating table.
Source: Invaluable
In the end, the strike lasted 22 days. Disney secured the two-year wage freeze, but the cast members retained heath benefits for part-time workers and a 10% limit on outsourcing. For more information on the details of the strike and union activity in the year’s since, check out this fantastic article from the OC Register.
I wish I could say that things have continued to improve for cast members since, but that really isn’t the case. Abigail Disney, Roy Disney’s granddaughter, has been very vocal about cast members struggling to stay above the poverty line. This is especially jarring when you read reports that Disney Parks generated $6.7 billion in the second quarter of 2022 alone. I can’t speak for cast members or for Disney, but it’s hard to conclude that makes sense. Cast members are the magic makers. They deserved better in 1984, and they deserve better now.
These are some of the same Disney management issues you touched on in your March 11th post from this year. These issues are directed and controlled from the very top of Disney management by the Board of Directors and their hyper focus on profit for shareholders over employee and fan experience. It’s a tough predicament for us fans who want to support Disney and their legacy but do not agree with how they treat employees or outside vendors and leverage the local, State, and Federal governments for tax and permit exemptions in ways that small local businesses never could. Not sure what the solution is: if we boycott Disney they cut-back or shut things down, if we continue to support Disney by visiting the park or watching their entertainment offerings we validate and reinforce their operating practices. Seems like the options for employees, vendors, and fans is lose/lose and the the options for Disney are win/win.
I agree with you Byron!