Who is underneath that Mickey Mouse mask? Walt Disney World does not want guests to know, and the actors who play Disney characters at theme parks say that is a violation of their constitutional rights.
A union representing actors who portray Mickey, Goofy and other characters filed a complaint on Friday with the US National Labor Relations Board, challenging a policy that it said prevents the performers from revealing which animated figures they portray.
Teamsters Local 385 said in the complaint that Disney is committing an unfair labor practice.
A grievance was filed last week with the company.
The two-week-old written policy prevents actors from publicly revealing via social media or traditional media which characters they play, the union said.
Violations could lead to disciplinary actions including firing, Teamsters Local 385 recording secretary Donna-Lynne Dalton said.
So far, none of the 1,200 character actors at Walt Disney World have faced disciplinary actions, she said.
“The performers are very concerned because you cannot ‘un-tell’ somebody something,” Dalton said. “They have family and friends [who] already know this and have pictures of themselves in their performing roles. It is out there.”
The confidentiality policy had been a subject of negotiations during past contract talks, but it never made it into a contract, union officials said.
“The company does not have the right to control social media postings,” Teamsters Local 385 president Mike Stapleton said. “Suddenly, the company wants to pretend there are not people behind those costumes and the Constitution does not extend to the theme park.”
Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler said the company has always expected performers not to reveal the actors behind the characters.
“We are proud of the role characters play in guest experience,” Wahler said. “This is in line with our long-standing expectation for cast members to uphold character integrity.”
Disney has always discouraged actors from revealing who is wearing the costume to preserve the fantasy peddled in its theme parks, but it has never before maintained a written policy, union officials said.
Dalton said performers might need to share which Disney character they have played to get acting jobs elsewhere, but they also respect the idea of keeping the “integrity” of the characters they play.
That means not showing up in costume outside the theme parks or revealing to children that they are a performer who plays Minnie Mouse, Dalton added.
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