Have Questions?

We've collected answers to common questions we've heard about the road to our first contract and Equity membership. If you have questions that aren't answered here, please email organizing@actorsequity.org.

Bargaining

• When did we start bargaining and how long will it take?
• Who does the bargaining?
• How does the bargaining caucus know what to ask for? How do I make sure my priorities are taken into consideration?
• If I'm not a part of the bargaining caucus, how will I find out what's happening during bargaining?
• How can I join the bargaining team?
• What work is required to be on the bargaining team?
• Are there ways for me to be involved on the road to our first contract?
• What happens when the bargaining caucus and the Disneyland team agree to terms for a new contract?
• When will our new contract take effect?
• How long will the new contract last?

Becoming an Equity Member

• Do I have to join Equity?
• If I don't join Equity, do I still have to pay dues?
• Do I have to join now or can I join later?
• Is there a disadvantage to joining later?
• What does my membership enable me to do?
• What are the dues? When will I have to start paying them?
• If I need to end or temporarily suspend my membership after applying, how do I do that?

Work Outside of Disneyland

• If I am NOT an Equity member, are there restrictions on where I am able to work?
• If I AM an Equity member, does my membership create any restrictions on where I am able to work?
• If I am an Equity member, can I take work with other unions (like AGVA)?
• If I am an Equity member, can I perform or stage manage a school production or a production at my religious institution?
• If I am an Equity member, can I perform or stage manage in community theater or a non-union show?
• What is the Do Not Work list?

Weingarten Rights and Union Stewards

• What are Weingarten Rights?
• Can I have a union rep with me at any meeting with management?
• Do I have to be a member of Equity to have a union representative present?
• Do I have to be the Cast Member under investigation to ask to have a union representative present?
• How do I request a union representative to join me for a disciplinary meeting?
• Do I have to request a union representative before the meeting starts?
• What's a union steward?
• How do I become a union steward?

Bargaining

When did we start bargaining and how long will it take?

• We had our first day of negotiations with Disney management in October 2024. This part of the process will take the longest! Bargaining a new contract takes time; the average amount of time for most unions is about two years from election date to final approval by the members. But it is ongoing, with progress being made in important areas like safety, and the bargaining team continues to meet Disney representatives regularly to negotiate the terms of your first contract.

Who does the bargaining?

• The bargaining team is made up of Disneyland Resort Cast Members, with 23 people on the caucus and 23 alternates. The bargaining caucus is supported by Equity staff members, councilors and legal counsel. You can find the full breakdown of the bargaining caucus and relevant Equity staff here.
  
  The original bargaining team was elected by their fellow Magic United workers in June 2024. Any replacement members (which may be necessary due to members leaving the company or the caucus) are recruited by the department caucus of the seat that needs to be filled, based on worker knowledge, experience and needs of the team.

How does the bargaining caucus know what to ask for? How do I make sure my priorities are taken into consideration?

• Last July and August we held more than 20 focus groups based on specific roles and issues to hear from you directly about your priorities and the issues facing you at work. During that same time, over 650 Cast Members filled out a survey to collect responses on your experiences and needs in regard to safe and sanitary working conditions, diversity and inclusion, compensation, scheduling, expectations and communication and job security. As we continue at the table, the bargaining caucus is having informal discussions with their coworkers to ensure their voices are being represented at the table.
  
  The bargaining caucus and staff have used all of this information to build proposals and set priorities during negotiations.
  
  If you want to reach out to a bargaining caucus member directly to share your priorities, you can find the full breakdown of the bargaining caucus here.

If I'm not a part of the bargaining caucus, how will I find out what's happening during bargaining?

• During pauses in bargaining, Equity has been sending email newsletters called Dispatches from the Bargaining Table in which members of the caucus share updates with the rest of the bargaining unit. There will also be opportunities to hear directly from the caucus via events both in person and online. And of course, because the bargaining caucus is made up of your fellow Cast Members, you can always ask them for news. While some aspects of bargaining have to be kept confidential during the process, your coworkers are happy to share what they can.

How can I join the bargaining team?

• This is a long road, and we can always use more support! If you're interested in potentially filling a vacant seat in the bargaining caucus if one opens up in the future, you can submit your interest here. We will reach out to you if a seat opens up that we believe you would be a good fit for.

What work is required to be on the bargaining team?

• The bargaining team is a volunteer role – time spent in negotiations and caucuses is not reimbursed by Disney or Equity. Upon request, we do work with Disney to request ADOs for negotiation days.
  
  Volunteering for the bargaining caucus requires a time commitment of approximately 4 hours per week on weeks without negotiations, and about 16 hours per week during negotiation periods. The majority of the work involves developing proposals and reaching a consensus with fellow caucus members. While some seats are designated for team members and others are for alternates, everyone has the opportunity to participate, and all voices within the caucus are equal.

Are there ways for me to be involved on the road to our first contract?

• You can also join the Contract Action Team (CAT), which is a group of Cast Members who support the negotiations as needed by keeping the rest of the bargaining unit informed not only of what's happening in bargaining, but also what steps everyone can take to help out, such as sharing personal stories with the bargaining team, expressing support on social media and more. To join the CAT, email mesber@actorsequity.org.
  
  And you can join events and meetings to stay in the loop and be ready to support your fellow Cast Members.

What happens when the bargaining caucus and the Disneyland team agree to terms for a new contract?

• The final step will be a ratification vote, which means every Equity member who will work under the contract gets to cast a ballot to accept or reject the contract. If 50% +1 of the votes cast are in favor of the contract, it takes effect. You must be an active member of Equity to vote on the contract.

When will our new contract take effect?

• The contract will take effect as soon as it passes a ratification vote. You must be an Equity member to vote during the ratification process.

How long will the new contract last?

• This is one of the terms of the contract that will be up for negotiation in bargaining.

Becoming an Equity Member

Do I have to join Equity?

• No, you are not required to join the union. Everyone whose work is covered by the Equity contract will pay working dues that cover the creation and enforcement of the contract, and everyone in that category will have equal access to union stewards and Equity staff to advocate on their behalf. But there are certain benefits to being a member of Equity outside of the rights granted by your contract (see below).
  
  If you see any official information stating you have to be a member of Equity to take a role at Disneyland Resort, please contact disneyland@actorsequity.org.

If I don't join Equity, do I still have to pay dues?

• If you opt not to join Equity, please be advised that you will only be subject to a working dues deduction.
  
  Once a contract is in place, you can email membership@actorsequity.org to notify the membership department that you wish to be an agency-fee payer only. This is referred to as “Fi-Core” (short for “financial core”).
  
  Read more about Equity's financial core policy here.

Do I have to join now or can I join later?

• No, you can join when you are ready.

Is there a disadvantage to joining later?

• The sooner you join, the sooner you can take advantage of the full benefits of union membership listed below.
  
  The biggest advantage to joining early is that Disneyland Cast Members who join prior to the ratification of your first contract will have their initiation fees waived. Initiation is usually $1,800 for members joining outside of a growth campaign like Magic United. Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort Cast Members (if joining after ratification) pay a $125 initiation fee, with the remaining balance of $1,675 due only if they work on Equity contracts outside the resort.

What does my membership enable me to do?

• Being part of a labor union joins your voice with millions of other workers fighting for better working conditions.
• Add your voice to Equity's political power advocating for worker power and arts funding on the state and federal level.
• Your Equity membership makes it easier to join other performing arts unions, including SAG-AFTRA and AGVA.
• You get priority access to Equity auditions.
• Access to Actors Federal Credit Union.
• Union discounts for hotels, rental cars, travel, tickets, etc.
• Member-only events and workshops.
• You have a vote and a voice in how your union operates, which means you can serve on Equity committees or council and vote in Equity elections.
• You get to vote during the ratification (approval) process of your first contract!

What are the dues? When will I have to start paying them?

• Equity's dues structure has two components:
  • Basic dues: $176 annually, billed at $88 twice a year each May and November.
  • Working dues: 2.5% of gross earnings under Equity contract, which are collected through weekly payroll deductions.
• You begin paying basic dues with the first billing cycle after you join. You will begin paying working dues (via payroll deduction) as soon as your first Equity contract is ratified.
  
  Equity's billing periods for basic dues are May and November of each year; bills are mailed in April and October, and payment is due by May 1 and November 1, with a grace period to the end of each month, respectively. Payments can be made by credit card or electronic check in Equity's Member Portal. Additionally, payments can be made by phone or mailed to any Equity office. Check, money order or Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express is accepted.
  
  Disneyland members who join Equity prior to the ratification of your first contract will have their initiation fee waived. Initiation is usually $1,800 for members joining outside of a growth campaign like Magic United. Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort Cast Members (if joining after ratification) pay a $125 initiation fee, with the remaining balance of $1,675 due only if they work on Equity contracts outside the resort.
  
  Additionally, in California, union dues are considered a deductible expense, which means the state allows for the deduction of union dues on state tax returns.
  
  For any questions about the dues structure or making a payment, please email membership@actorsequity.org.

If I need to end or temporarily suspend my membership after applying, how do I do that?

• You can read more about eligibility to freeze/suspend your membership by clicking Temporary Withdrawal / Suspended Payment on our website. You can email membership@actorsequity.org to notify the membership department.
  
  Please note that if you perform or stage manage with a non-Equity company or as a non-professional or apprentice while withdrawn or suspended, you may not be able to re-join as an Equity member in the future. If you have questions about this policy, please contact membership@actorsequity.org.

Work Outside Disneyland

If I am NOT an Equity member, are there restrictions on where I am able to work?

• No. If you are not a member of Equity there are no restrictions on taking outside work – including non-union theater.

If I AM an Equity member, does my membership create any restrictions on where I am able to work?

• If you apply to become an Equity member and formally join the union, you may not perform or stage manage in the theatre without an Equity contract.
  
  However, there is currently no restriction on working in other theme parks, private/corporate events (such as birthday parties), non-theatrical performance (such as skating or circus), or theatrical work outside of performing and stage managing (such as directing, design, or performing in an orchestra). These jobs do not require any sort of waiver from Equity.
  
  If you are ever unsure of if you can take a specific job, please contact the Equity office at 323-978-8080.

If I am an Equity member, can I take work with other unions (like AGVA)?

• Yes. If you are an Equity member you are still allowed to take jobs represented by other unions. Lots of our members are also members of our sibling unions!

If I am an Equity member, can I perform or stage manage a school production or a production at my religious institution?

• Members over the age of 18 may only appear in school or religious theatrical productions with Equity's express written consent. If you are a full-time student or full-time faculty and are required to be in a performance for your course of study, or if you wish to perform for your religious institution, you can ask for a waiver by emailing Jayne Spring at jspring@actorsequity.org.
  
  This is the first step to get the necessary info on Education or Religious Waivers. Assistant Executive Director Andrea Hoeschen makes the final determination. Please allow one week for the process of waiver approval.

If I am an Equity member, can I perform or stage manage in community theater or a non-union show?

• You can't perform or stage manage in theater without the appropriate Equity contract or code. But, the good news is that there are some contracts specifically designed for non-union theaters to hire Equity members!
  
  If you are offered employment without a union contract, or there’s a community theater you want to work with, contact the Equity office. Often, we can work with the employer to get you the contract you need. All communication between you and your union is strictly confidential. Click here to find your business rep on the member portal.

What is the Do Not Work list?

• The Do Not Work list is a list of specific employers who are not in good standing with us or one of our sibling unions, often due to inability to reach an agreement, refusal to bargain in good faith or previous misconduct. Not all non-union theaters are on the Do Not Work list. You may still audition for these producers, but if you are offered employment by someone on this list, or if you have questions about the employer, please contact organizing@actorsequity.org.

Weingarten Rights and Union Stewards

What are Weingarten Rights?

• Even before we have a contract, you are entitled to having union representation present during any investigatory meeting or interview related to discipline at work. These rights are secured by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) Section 7. Learn more.

Can I have a union rep with me at any meeting with management?

• No, Weingarten Rights only apply to meetings related to fact-finding in matters of discipline, but that includes meetings at any stage of an investigation into something that might result in disciplinary action. A meeting in which the disciplinary consequences have already been decided and are being communicated to an employee is not subject to Weingarten Rights.

Do I have to be a member of Equity to have a union representative present?

• No, every Cast Member working in the eligible unit, regardless of union status, has Weingarten Rights and the ability to have a union representative at disciplinary meetings.

Do I have to be the Cast Member under investigation to ask to have a union representative present?

• No, you can invoke your Weingarten Rights at any meeting where the employer is asking questions related to someone's work performance, including a meeting where you're being asked about a situation where no one in particular is accused of having done anything wrong.

How do I request a union representative to join me for a disciplinary meeting?

• If you find yourself in a meeting with management that may result in disciplinary action for yourself or for a fellow Cast Member, you have the right to request the presence of your union representative. You can say, "If this discussion could in any way lead to disciplinary action, I respectfully request my union representative." Until your representative is available, you may choose to refrain from participating in the discussion.
  
  Management should ensure that a trained Equity Steward is present during the meeting. If you experience any issues, please email disneyland@actorsequity.org or call 212-869-8530 ext. 124.

Do I have to request a union representative before the meeting starts?

• If you know you will be attending a disciplinary meeting with management and would like your union representative to be present, please email or call the manager you will be meeting with. Management should ensure that an Equity Steward is also present during the meeting. If you realize partway through a meeting that you’d like to invoke your Weingarten Rights, you may do so at any point in the meeting.
  
  If you encounter any issues, please email disneyland@actorsequity.org or call 212-869-8530, extension 124.

What’s a union steward?

• A union steward is a fellow Cast Member who has also been specially trained and authorized by the union to participate as the union representative in Weingarten meetings. You can read more and find our list of Stewards here.

How do I become a union steward?

• You must be a member of Actors' Equity to be trained as a steward. If you are a member, you can apply to be a Magic United steward here. (Note: you must be an Equity member to access the application on the member portal.)