Striking employees at Disneyland Paris have ground park operations to a stand still at some points of recent days as waves of protests cause cancellations of shows and more.
The Details
Unionized workers at Disneyland Paris have been fighting for higher wages since the beginning of May 2023.
The strikers have asked for a monthly wage increase of €200, so their pay keeps pace with inflation. They are also requesting increased mileage allowances, and more flexible scheduling.
Disneyland Paris reportedly offered some measures, but union representatives said they were not enough.
A smaller group of 200 employees staged a protest on May 10, followed by 500 on May 23, as employees from hotels, maintenance, and security also joined the protest.
On May 30, almost 1,ooo employees joined a protest that marched through the park as union members waved red flags and chanted their demands, and this caused the cancellation of the daily 11am parade because the Park’s Main Street was occupied by protestors.
On June 3, Disneyland Paris issued a warning to guests on social media that there would be more protest disruptions, and allowing guests to reschedule or cancel.
And protests there were…
On June 5, Disneyland Paris once again issued a warning to guests, and on June 6, the strike protests grew.
Late afternoon at the park, striking cast members were blocking Sleeping Beauty Castle in an attempt to cancel the performance of Disney D-Light and Disney Dreams.
The plan worked, and Disney cancelled the nighttime shows last minute, upsetting the guests.
And while I do understand why guests were upset, I also understand employees wanting to be paid a living wage for the hard work they do making the magic happen.
A Temporary Truce
This weekend, there are no strike protests planned at Disneyland Paris Friday, June 9 through Monday, June 12, so as to not interrupt a planned Make-A-Wish event.
However no decision has been made for tomrrow, June 8, or next Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
We’ll keep you posted as this progresses. Walt Disney World recently resolved its own union battle for higher wages, but it didn’t affect park operations the same way.
Hopefully there will be a resolution for Disneyland Paris cast members soon.
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