Members of four unions representing about 9,700 Disneyland Resort workers voted to approve a three-year contract Thursday that was crafted after weeks of protests by employees demanding higher wages.
The workers voted throughout the day inside Disneyland's Lincoln Theater, union officials announced late Thursday. The deal between Disney and the Master Services Council brings "cast members" up to a minimum wage of $15 per hour by January 2019, and includes three wage increases of 3 percent for workers already making above $15.
The agreement, which was announced Monday but not made official until Thursday's vote, also includes improvements to policies concerning seniority, premium pay and paid days off, the officials said.
"Disneyland Resort has long taken pride in providing an exceptional employee experience, and this agreement sets a new bar with minimum wages that are among the highest in the country," said Josh D'Amaro, president of Disneyland Resort. "Our unprecedented offer shows our commitment and care for our cast members and is the largest increase in our history. Our cast members are at the heart of making our guests' dreams come true and this meaningful pay increase reflects the valuable roles they play at the resort."
Master Services Council employees work in the areas of attractions, stores, custodial, main entrance, costuming, bakery/confection, resort transportation and parking and the onsite distribution center. They work at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park and Downtown Disney.
"The Disneyland Resort and Master Services Council are proud to have reached a tentative agreement, which we are hopeful will be ratified later this week," according to a joint statement issued Monday. "We have had a successful history of working together since Disneyland Park opened in 1955, and this contract continues that shared commitment to cast members."
In May, Disneyland Resort executives said they had proposed a wage offer that would amount to a 36 percent increase over a three-year span for its hourly workers. Under that proposal, Master Services Council workers would make a $15-per-hour wage by 2020, which would be two years ahead of the state's minimum wage standard, Disney officials said.
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Park workers have been staging rallies for weeks calling for increased wages. The union representing workers issued a report earlier this year contending that some Disneyland workers were paid so little they had recently experienced homelessness and others were unable to afford three meals a day. Disneyland officials blasted the report as "inaccurate and unscientific."
