More than 22,000 Anaheim voter signatures have landed a new measure on the November ballot that would require local businesses receiving city subsidies, including Disney, to pay its workers a “living wage.”
The signatures were collected in just three weeks by a coalition of 11 unions representing Disney workers after a study commissioned by the coalition found that a large amount of Disney employees have experienced homelessness and food insecurity in the last two years despite working full time.
If the measure passes, workers will see a minimum wage increase to $15 an hour by next year and subsequent $1 annual increases to reach $18 an hour by 2022.
Opponents of the measure say, if passed, the move would drive businesses away and kill jobs. Walt Disney Co. and Wincome group, a hotel developer, also might put the kibosh on two mega projects that are in the works in the Disneyland Resort district.
We reached out to Disney for comment but did not receive a response before the airing of this segment.
Here is a copy of the proposed measure:
With guest host Libby Denkmann.
Guests:
Ada Briceño, co-president of UniteHere! Local 11, one of the unions representing employees at several Disney hotels
Todd Ament, president and CEO of Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, one of the groups opposing the living wage measure