Equity, Disney Still Talking
Owing to Hurricanes, Union Extends Contract Past Expiration Date
By Leonard Jacobs
Actors' Equity Association and the Walt Disney Company, which in August began negotiating a new Disney World Eastern agreement in Orlando, will soon resume talks following the cleanup from a very heavy hurricane season.
According to a Sept. 22 posting on the union's website, the four-year contract, originally set to expire on Sat., Sept. 25, was extended by Equity's Eastern regional board through Oct. 14. However, in an update given to Back Stage last Friday, union spokesperson Maria Somma said the contract extension was on the agenda for the Eastern regional board's next meeting, Tues., Oct. 12, and that the next negotiating session was scheduled for Wed., Oct. 20.
The Oct. 20 date was chosen, Somma said, only partly because of the impact of the hurricanes that have swept through Florida in recent weeks. Another reason is that the Service Trades Council, an umbrella group representing over 20,000 workers from six union locals, had to head back to the table with Disney after its first contract offer was rejected in early August. The council, she said, represents the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (IATSE), Local 631; United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 1625; Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE), Locals 737 and 362; Teamsters Local 385; and the Transportation Communications International Union, Local 1908.
Equity represents over 400 performers who appear in live attractions at the over 30,500-acre theme park.
Key negotiation proposals include wage increases, pension contributions, health insurance, and working conditions, according to the union. Under the current pact, Disney provides the health insurance plan. The contract also provides members with a 6.5% pension payment to the Equity-League Pension Trust Fund. Members also receive transportation, but no housing or expenses.
According to Equity, the Disney agreement currently pays the following rates: chorus members, $472.80 weekly, $11.82 hourly; chorus stepping out/principal roles, $530 weekly, $13.25 hourly; and dance captain, lead, and fight captain increments of $150 weekly and $3.75 an hour. According to the pact posted on the Equity website, full-time performers who complete the entire term of the contract could receive a $1,000 bonus this year.
The Disney agreement is administered from the union's Orlando office. On Friday, Somma also provided an update on the composition of the negotiating team. The chief negotiator is senior business representative Zalina Hoosein. The chair of the negotiation team, which consists of over 30 performers, is Equity councillor Valerie Toth-Grant. Also attending are Orlando business reps Brian Spitler and Jenny Davis and Orlando staffers Pam Galbraith and Jackie Dames.
"The negotiations have been very productive so far," Hoosein told Back Stage on Friday. "We expect that progress will be made when we return to the table later this month, and that we'll find common ground on some of our key issues." A similarly upbeat statement was given by Hoosein when talks began: "The performers who work at Walt Disney World are an important part of the overall visitor experience to the theme park and we hope to make improvements in a number of areas that will be beneficial to the performers," Hoosein said.
Owing to Hurricanes, Union Extends Contract Past Expiration Date
By Leonard Jacobs
Actors' Equity Association and the Walt Disney Company, which in August began negotiating a new Disney World Eastern agreement in Orlando, will soon resume talks following the cleanup from a very heavy hurricane season.
According to a Sept. 22 posting on the union's website, the four-year contract, originally set to expire on Sat., Sept. 25, was extended by Equity's Eastern regional board through Oct. 14. However, in an update given to Back Stage last Friday, union spokesperson Maria Somma said the contract extension was on the agenda for the Eastern regional board's next meeting, Tues., Oct. 12, and that the next negotiating session was scheduled for Wed., Oct. 20.
The Oct. 20 date was chosen, Somma said, only partly because of the impact of the hurricanes that have swept through Florida in recent weeks. Another reason is that the Service Trades Council, an umbrella group representing over 20,000 workers from six union locals, had to head back to the table with Disney after its first contract offer was rejected in early August. The council, she said, represents the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (IATSE), Local 631; United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 1625; Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE), Locals 737 and 362; Teamsters Local 385; and the Transportation Communications International Union, Local 1908.
Equity represents over 400 performers who appear in live attractions at the over 30,500-acre theme park.
Key negotiation proposals include wage increases, pension contributions, health insurance, and working conditions, according to the union. Under the current pact, Disney provides the health insurance plan. The contract also provides members with a 6.5% pension payment to the Equity-League Pension Trust Fund. Members also receive transportation, but no housing or expenses.
According to Equity, the Disney agreement currently pays the following rates: chorus members, $472.80 weekly, $11.82 hourly; chorus stepping out/principal roles, $530 weekly, $13.25 hourly; and dance captain, lead, and fight captain increments of $150 weekly and $3.75 an hour. According to the pact posted on the Equity website, full-time performers who complete the entire term of the contract could receive a $1,000 bonus this year.
The Disney agreement is administered from the union's Orlando office. On Friday, Somma also provided an update on the composition of the negotiating team. The chief negotiator is senior business representative Zalina Hoosein. The chair of the negotiation team, which consists of over 30 performers, is Equity councillor Valerie Toth-Grant. Also attending are Orlando business reps Brian Spitler and Jenny Davis and Orlando staffers Pam Galbraith and Jackie Dames.
"The negotiations have been very productive so far," Hoosein told Back Stage on Friday. "We expect that progress will be made when we return to the table later this month, and that we'll find common ground on some of our key issues." A similarly upbeat statement was given by Hoosein when talks began: "The performers who work at Walt Disney World are an important part of the overall visitor experience to the theme park and we hope to make improvements in a number of areas that will be beneficial to the performers," Hoosein said.