ANAHEIM, California — Character and parade performers at California's Disneyland are officially unionized.
Federal labor officials said Wednesday they have certified the results of a three-day election that took place in Anaheim earlier this month.
Actors' Equity Association will represent approximately 1,700 artists and assistants who help bring Disney's popular characters to life at Southern California theme parks. The union already represents theater artists at Disney's parks in Florida.
Most other employees at Disneyland in California – including cleaning crews, pyrotechnics specialists and security staff – are already unionized.
Parade and character workers who promoted unionization said they enjoy working at Disneyland to help create a magical experience for visitors, but raised health and safety concerns when they were asked to resume hugging tourists after they were killed during had returned to work after the pandemic. They called their union 'Magic United'.
