Actors' Equity Association members working at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., have ratified a new four-year contract that includes pay raises and bonuses.
The pact was approved by a 95% margin, with 38% of eligible voters returning ballots. Equity represents 400 performers who appear in live attractions at the 30,500-acre theme park. Paid-up members who worked under the previous four-year term of the agreement were eligible to vote in the ratification.
Zalina Hoosein, Equity's chief negotiator, said that Equity achieved "significant results and breakthroughs" in many areas. Among them are significant increases in pay rates -- for example, in the case of full-time and contracted casuals, whose increases are tied to the renewal of the individual employment contract.
According to Maria Somma, Equity's press spokesperson, "Full-time performers are contracted as principal, chorus, or chorus stepping-out to work for four or more days per week and at least 30 hours per week for a period of no less than 14 weeks. Contract casuals (aka casual regular) are signed to an Individual Employment contract guaranteeing at least one day of work per week." The casuals' pay will increase by 2.6% in the first year and 2.5% annually during the rest of the four-year pact.
Non-contracted casuals will receive a 3% increase in each year of the agreement.
The contract completion bonus, for performers who complete a contract of 12 months or more, will increase annually from the current $1,000 to $1,025, $1,075, $1,175, and $1,225.
Other raises include increases in pension contributions; increments for stunts, dance captains, and lead captains; and contributions for supplemental workers' compensation insurance.
Health coverage will be available now if a performer is recalled within one year of a layoff, with health benefits beginning immediately.
Per diem will be available for performers who travel out of town, based on federal government rates, rather than performers having to reconcile their individual expenses.
The chair of Equity's negotiating team was Councillor Valerie Toth-Grant. The negotiating team consisted of over 30 diverse performers from all areas of the park. Others who actively participated in negotiations were Equity Second Vice President Jean-Paul Richard, Orlando business representatives Brian Spitler and Jennie Davis, and staff members Pam Galbraith and Jackie Dames.
-- Roger Armbrust