After several rounds of negotiations and protests—on since April 2024—workers at Disneyland, California, have managed to agree to the park’s offer. The hourly minimum wages will increase by 31 per cent, from $19.90 to $26. The park was actually bracing for a strike, which was fortunately averted post acceptance of this offer by the workers.
Most of the hike will come into effect immediately, which means workers will see an immediate hike in wages to $24 per hour. The increment is a result of the campaign by four Disney unions representing about 14,000 employees. The bargaining team, called the Disney Workers Rising, represented not just cast crew but also retail workers and custodians working at the park, including those working for Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, Downtown Disney and Disney hotels.
If the deal had failed, Disneyland would have witnessed the first strike in four decades.
In addition to the increment, the contract includes attendance flexibility and sick leave policies. Performers at the park have been provided longevity hikes in their wages.
Those who have spent a decade performing at the park have been granted a $0.50 hike per hour, while those with two decades of service get a hike of $2.
The hikes come into effect retroactively from 17 June 2024.
Earlier, Disney had tried to offer an increment of barely a dollar per year for five years. The workers had rejected the same calling the offer humiliating. A mediator was brought in for the negotiations last month.
