Disney union workers plan a public rally in front of Disney World on Thursday to push for a living wage

A coalition of 6 Disney labor unions are holding a rally on Thursday to fight for a living wage
Update 10/20/17:

1,200 Disney employees, seeking a living wage from Disney, blocked traffic during a pro-union rally that lasted about two hour at the Crossroads entrance to Walt Disney World on Thursday before Disney World officials sicced Orange County Sheriff's deputies to break up the rally, calling it, "an unlawful assembly." (See videos of the rally below.)

The protesters were chanting, "Disney workers need a raise," in an effort to spread awareness of their cause to Disney World visitors, but apparently, Disney did not like that kind of message transmitted to their paying customers.


Original article:

Hundreds of unionized workers from Walt Disney World will hold a rally tomorrow October 19, at 5 p.m. in front of the Crossroads entrance to Disney World at State Road 535 and Hotel Plaza Boulevard in support of their unions' push to increase wages in contentious ongoing labor negotiations against the Walt Disney Company.


The coalition of six Disney labor unions including Unite Here Local 362, which is better known as the Services Trades Council Union (STCU), has banned together in a show of strength to push for a wage increase against the theme parks resort for a living wage starting at $15 per hour.


"I want Disney to see how important this is to their cast," Disney cast member Diana Geary said. "That's why we're coming out. They need a living wage."


Geary is a 41-year-old ride operator at Disney's Animal Kingdom who currently lives paycheck to paycheck at $11.50 an hour, renting a room with her husband from her parents to try to make ends meet.


STCU represents 38,000 unionized Disney cast members. 23,000 of these union members make less than $12 an hour, and out of those workers, 8,000 unionized cast members squeak by making only $10 an hour.

Disney is again at war against its labor unions over pay
Disney is currently only proposing a paltry 2.5% increase in wages for current unionized Disney workers in its labor negotiations while keeping the minimum wage at $10 an hour for new hires.

The last time the unions negotiated a labor contract with the theme park, the parties agreed to raise the starting pay from $8.03 to $10 an hour, which represents a 24.5% increase in pay.

The Orlando Sentinel reports Disney calculates the average hourly wage for one of its workers is, on average, only about $13.34 an hour, including overtime and premium pay.

"While that agreement boosted pay for Disney Cast Members and many more hospitality workers in competing non-union theme parks and hotels, " said the STCU in a written statement, "hundreds of thousands of Central Florida workers continue to struggle with poverty."

Clearly, Disney could do much better to make the magic happen for their own workers.


After all, the magic at the Disney theme parks and resorts begins with its cast members, who provide magical memories and experiences for its paying guests.


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