By a vote of 129-97, live performers at Universal Studios Escape have rejected attempts to designate Actors' Equity Association as their collective bargaining representative. Performers at the Orlando theme park voted against union protection in an election conducted last Friday by the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) Tampa field office.
"While we are obviously disappointed by the final results, we do want to commend those performers for having the guts to come forward and ask for an election," said Ron Bush, business representative at Actors' Equity's Orlando office.
Bush told Back Stage, "We'll look to see that all aspects of the campaign were handled lawfully. We have a week following the election to file an objection." Should Equity find a reason to file, the NLRB would then conduct an investigation, and decide whether a new election should be required.
According to Equity, the vote by performers at Universal involved actors, dancers, singers, and stuntpersons, 75% of whom had signed authorization cards requesting Equity representation. The union's subsequent campaign addressed a number of issues including safe and healthy working conditions, professionalism, and respect. Bush said that money wasn't that critical an issue, because pay rates vary from performer to performer.
The performers, throughout the campaign, had expressed a desire for "Actors' Equity standards for their venues-protections that have been in place for years for performers at Disney World," a union press release stated. Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin is a resort complex located near Orlando.
Bush said that Universal's management countered Equity's campaign with a number of promises regarding conditions of dressing rooms, green rooms, ventilation, and safety.
"Hopefully the promises made by management at Universal will come true, but history has not proven that."
Actors' Equity represents 40,000 professional actors, performers, and stage managers across the United States. In Central Florida, the union represents 450 members.