Patina Group Restaurant Employees at EPCOT’s Italy Pavilion Are Voting on Potential Strike

After months of labor unrest, Patina Group restaurant workers from EPCOT’s Italy pavilion are voting to strike.

Before we delve into the latest development, we need to review how we arrived at this point.

Let’s start with the basics.

Who Are the Patina Group Employees?

Many Walt Disney World guests may not know that not all Cast Members work directly for Disney. Some work for subcontracted companies that operate various establishments across the resort.

Image Credit: The Patina Group

Patina Group, for example, Enzo’s Hideaway, Maria & Enzo’s, Pizza Ponte, Morimoto Asia, and The Edison at Disney Springs.

They also operate Space 220, Tutto Italia Ristorante, Via Napoli Ristorante E Pizzeria, and Tutto Gusto at EPCOT.

The Patina employees from EPCOT have a union contract and collectively bargain.

With the current contract set to expire on September 30, union representatives and Patina Group officials have been in a standoff for months.

Union. Logo

That brings us to today.

The Vote to Strike

Today, UNITE HERE Local 737 and the Patina Group employees announced that a strike vote had been authorized after Patina Group failed to make “adequate progress in contract negotiations.”

The strike vote will authorize the bargaining committee to call a strike at any time once the contract expires.

Photo: Unite Here Local 737

Should Patina Group employees strike, it would mark the first time in history that employees have gone on strike inside the Disney World parks.

Where To Learn 

At today’s press conference, Unite Here Local 737 also announced the launch of DisneyWorldFoodAlert.org, a website where Disney guests can check whether restaurants on Disney property are involved in an active labor dispute.

As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the news coming out of Walt Disney World.