Mickey and the Teamsters: A Fight for Fair Unions at Disney

Mickey and the Teamsters is a documentary that tells the story of Teamsters Local 385, the union that represents Disney performers, and the corruption and activism that surrounds them. It highlights the efforts of Donna-Lynne Dalton, a former cast member who stood up for other performers against deep-rooted problems in the union, and the subsequent retaliation by the local union. The story escalates as protests by Disney performers and the interventions of James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, are described. The documentary shows the importance of individual and collective action to hold unions accountable and preserve their potential to do good.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2023
Publisher: University Press of Florida

Behind the costumes, life isn't always magic and fairy dust for the people who play the iconic characters of Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Cinderella at Walt Disney World. In a surprising tale of corruption alongside activism, Mickey and the Teamsters reveals the little-known story of Teamsters Local 385, the union that represents these performers. It spotlights Donna-Lynne Dalton, a former cast member who stood up for other Disney performers against deep-rooted problems in the union that was supposed to protect them.

Journalist Mike Schneider, who covered the story as it unfolded, includes exclusive interviews with labor leaders and workers at the park, detailing how the union prevented its members from leaving, severely mismanaged union business, and promoted a culture of hostile leadership. Members of the Teamsters local felt that they no longer had a voice, fearing devastating consequences if they spoke up. But Dalton brought the issues to investigators in an act of whistleblowing that threatened her livelihood. In return, the local union fired Dalton and began harassing her and other union members who opposed its leaders. The story escalates as Schneider describes protests by the Disney performers and the interventions of James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Mickey and the Teamsters offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the hidden struggles that surround Disney World, which employs the largest single-site workforce in the United States. Through the efforts of Dalton and others to reform their union and improve the lives of employees at the workplace they loved, Schneider shows the importance of individual and collective action to hold unions accountable and preserve their potential to do good.

Weight: 270g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780813080307