Disneyland and Cast Member Union Battle Over Mickey Buttons
As Disneyland continues to negotiate a labor contract with more than 1/3 of the resort’s 35,000 Cast Members, tensions are rising over union buttons.
According to a new report from the OC Register, Master Service Council, which represents 13,000 Disneyland employees across four unions, has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Disney after more than 500 Cast Members were disciplined for wearing union buttons that showed Mickey raising his fist in solidarity.
Today, Disney cast members announced that they have filed unfair labor practice charges against Disney on behalf of 13,000 workers at the resort for unlawful discipline, intimidation and surveillance of union members exercising their right to wear union buttons at work. pic.twitter.com/gg7CUk6JUh
— DisneyWorkersRising (@disneyrising24) June 11, 2024
“Today, Disney cast members announced that they have filed unfair labor practice charges against Disney on behalf of 13,000 workers at the resort for unlawful discipline, intimidation and surveillance of union members exercising their right to wear union buttons at work,” The DisneyWorkersRising X account posted.
Disneyland Says the Buttons Violate the Resort’s Dress Code
Disneyland argues that the buttons violated the company’s dress code, which is also known as the Disney Look.
![Disney Look](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-13-at-09-14-59-DisneyLook_NonCostume.jpg-JPEG-Image-542-×-294-pixels.png)
![Disney Look](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-13-at-09-14-59-DisneyLook_NonCostume.jpg-JPEG-Image-542-×-294-pixels.png)
The Disney Look. Photo: Disney
“Disneyland Resort cast members may only wear buttons and pins that are a part of their costumes while at work so that the show is maintained for our guests,” according to Disneyland officials.
![Disneyland Union Button](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Disneyland-Union-Button-La-Time-1024x576.jpg)
![Disneyland Union Button](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Disneyland-Union-Button-La-Time-1024x576.jpg)
The button in question. Photo: LA Times
Additionally, the resort says that less than a handful of Cast Members have been disciplined for wearing the buttons, not hundreds.
The Labor Contrac Ends June 16
As part of their unfair labor practice charge, however, the union cited a 1945 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that employees could wear union insignia even if it violates an employer’s dress code.
![Disney Workers Rising](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DIsney-WOrkers-Rising-1024x768.jpg)
![Disney Workers Rising](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DIsney-WOrkers-Rising-1024x768.jpg)
Photo: Disney Workers Rising
The button battle comes just days before the existing labor contract between Disneyland and its Cast Members ends. The current contract will expire on June 16. The two sides have been negotiating a new deal since April.
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