Patina Group, which runs The Edison, Morimoto Asia and other Disney Springs restaurants, has settled a two-year federal labor case tied to a union drive. It includes back pay for a fired server.
The company behind some of Disney Springs’ best-known restaurants has settled a federal labor case.
Patina Group reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board over a union drive at its Disney Springs restaurants, BlogMickey reports. Orlando Weekly first reported the deal, which came before a trial that had been set for Sept. 15.
The settlement includes back pay for a server who was fired during the union push. The amount was not disclosed.
What is Patina Group?
Patina Group is a third-party company that runs restaurants at Walt Disney World. It is part of Delaware North.
At Disney Springs, Patina runs The Edison, Morimoto Asia, Maria and Enzo’s, Enzo’s Hideaway and Pizza Ponte. It also runs Space 220 and the Italy pavilion restaurants at EPCOT.
Disney does not run these restaurants itself. That means their workers are not Disney cast members, and they are not covered by Disney’s union contracts.
What was the Patina labor case about?
Workers at five Patina restaurants at Disney Springs started organizing with the union Unite Here Local 737 in 2024, BlogMickey reports. The five restaurants were Morimoto Asia, Pizza Ponte, Maria and Enzo’s, The Edison and Enzo’s Hideaway.
The union filed complaints claiming Patina:
Watched workers to spot union activity.
Threatened to hold back promotions.
Pressured workers not to join the union.
Those complaints also named Space 220 at EPCOT.
In August 2025, an NLRB regional director issued a complaint with six claims of illegal surveillance by managers.
Who is the fired Pizza Ponte server?
Patina fired Julie Ruiz, a server at Pizza Ponte who supported the union. Ruiz had also reported sexual harassment by a manager, BlogMickey reports.
The union said Patina’s stated reason for firing her was a single earbud she wore to work.
In June 2026, the NLRB’s general counsel ordered Patina to stop the alleged intimidation, rehire Ruiz and pay her back wages. Patina first signaled it would not comply.
The settlement now includes back pay for Ruiz. It is not clear whether she will return to her job.
What does the Patina settlement require?
As part of the deal, Patina emailed its Disney Springs workers in early October to confirm their right to form or join a union.
The company also posted notices with the same message in break rooms. Those notices must stay up for 60 days.
The settlement does not appear to include union recognition at the five restaurants, BlogMickey reports. That means workers still do not have a union contract.
What did workers and Disney say?
Lauren Hewitt, a Maria and Enzo’s server who supports the union, called the news “very validating,” according to BlogMickey.
Neither Disney nor Patina issued a statement.
Disney has stayed out of the dispute, even as workers pushed it to drop its contracts with Patina. Local leaders, including Orange County commissioners, state Rep. Anna Eskamani and U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, had urged Patina to look into the workers’ concerns.
Why do third-party restaurant workers matter at Disney World?
Disney Springs has dozens of restaurants, and many are run by outside companies instead of Disney. Those workers serve the same guests as cast members, but their pay and benefits are set by their own employers.
That gap is what the union drive was about. Workers argued that their jobs should come with protections closer to what Disney’s own workers get.
How did the Disney Springs union fight unfold?
Here is a quick timeline, based on BlogMickey’s report:
April 2024: Workers announce plans to unionize with Local 737.
September 2024: Local 737 releases a report that says third-party restaurant jobs at Disney Springs offer weaker benefits.
October 2024: Workers and Eskamani press Patina at a news conference after Ruiz is fired.
August 2025: An NLRB regional director issues a complaint.
June 2026: The NLRB general counsel orders Ruiz rehired with back pay.
October 2026: Patina emails workers and posts union rights notices.
Will this affect Disney Springs guests?
The restaurants are open as usual, so guests will not see a change. The Edison, Morimoto Asia, Maria and Enzo’s and the other Patina spots are serving guests every day.
Local 737 already represents many Disney World workers through the Service Trades Council Union. The Patina fight was about third-party workers at Disney Springs, who are not covered by those Disney contracts.
We will update this story if the union or Patina shares more details.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
BlogMickey (Nov. 13, 2026), the settlement, the restaurants, the complaints, the Ruiz firing, the notices and the timeline
Orlando Weekly (Nov. 2026), the first report of the settlement
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