The simmering labor drama inside Walt Disney World’s EPCOT is boiling over, and now things may have taken a physical turn.
According to a new allegation from UNITE HERE Local 737, a union organizer was physically pushed by a manager working for the Patina Restaurant Group — a major operator behind several of Disney’s most popular dining locations. The incident allegedly occurred at Tutto Italia Ristorante, a signature table-service spot in the Italy pavilion, as tensions continue to rise over contract negotiations and workplace conditions.
It’s the latest in a string of serious accusations leveled against Patina Group, a subsidiary of hospitality giant Delaware North, and the company at the center of Disney’s most high-profile labor dispute in years.
A Union Organizer Allegedly Pushed at Tutto Italia
The claim is that a manager for Patina Group laid hands on a union organizer — someone who was on-site performing what the union says were legally protected duties. The organizer, Wesny Theophin, is a familiar face to many of the workers at the Italy pavilion and has been active in organizing for better treatment, pay, and protections for workers across several Patina-owned restaurants.
In a statement issued through the union, Theophin shared his reaction to what happened:
“It is so important for me that the Haitian workers in this kitchen are respected at work. That is part of why I am a union organizer. So to be treated this way, and to have a white manager lay a hand on me, is a slap in the face – not just for me, but for all the other Haitian people in the restaurant who deserve to be treated with respect.”
The incident reportedly took place inside EPCOT, specifically at Tutto Italia Ristorante, and has since been referred to Disney security, though no public response has been issued yet by Patina Group or Walt Disney World.
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Who Is Patina Group, and Why Are They Everywhere?
If you’ve eaten at a few of Disney’s nicer dining locations, chances are high you’ve already spent money at a Patina Group restaurant — whether you realized it or not.
This isn’t a company running one off-the-beaten-path quick-service window. Patina Group operates some of the most visible, high-end, and high-traffic restaurants in all of Walt Disney World. These include:
Inside EPCOT’s Italy Pavilion:
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Tutto Italia Ristorante
At Disney Springs:
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The Edison
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Morimoto Asia
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Pizza Ponte
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Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante
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Enzo’s Hideaway
And even at EPCOT’s Future World:
For a company with such reach across Disney property, the growing tension with their staff—and the union representing them—is raising eyebrows. And now, with talk of a potential strike in the air, Patina’s presence in the parks could be about to make headlines in a very different way.
The Bigger Picture: Months of Escalating Tension
This isn’t a sudden flare-up. Workers at Patina’s EPCOT locations voted to unionize last year, citing what they called “second-class working conditions.” Since then, there’s been a steady drumbeat of petitions, organizing, and formal complaints aimed at holding the company accountable.
Earlier in 2025, UNITE HERE Local 737 made waves by publicly supporting a former employee who said she was fired after reporting sexual harassment by her supervisor. The union demanded her reinstatement and began organizing campaigns around worker safety and fair treatment.
By July 2025, the situation escalated into a formal complaint filed directly to The Walt Disney Company, claiming Patina Group had violated Disney’s Supply Chain Code of Conduct. Among the listed issues: violations involving sexual harassment and abuse, failure to comply with labor laws, and interference with workers’ rights to organize.
Disney has not commented on the specifics of the complaint, and Patina Group has not issued a public statement regarding the allegations.
The First Disney Park Strike on the Horizon?
While unions and Disney have clashed plenty over the years, what makes this story especially notable is what’s coming next: a potential strike vote that could result in the first labor strike ever held inside a Disney theme park.
The strike vote was announced by the union in August and relates to the ongoing contract negotiations for the Italy pavilion restaurants. The current contract expires September 30, and if no agreement is reached by then, the union has already been authorized to call a strike at any time after that date.
For guests, that could mean disruption at some of the most popular dining locations during a busy fall season. For Disney, it could mean more pressure to get involved in what has, so far, been treated as a dispute between the union and one of its operating participants.
Disney’s Balancing Act
Legally speaking, Disney may not be on the hook for Patina Group’s employment practices — but public perception is another matter entirely. When guests sit down at Via Napoli or Morimoto Asia, they don’t think about corporate structure. They think: “This is Disney.”
That means any negative story connected to these locations reflects back on the larger Walt Disney World brand. Add in the fact that the union’s messaging has increasingly pointed the finger not just at Patina, but at Disney’s broader responsibility to uphold ethical labor practices among its partners, and the pressure only grows.
As for the physical confrontation reported this week — if true — it adds a volatile new layer to the story. The allegations from Theophin bring race, power dynamics, and workplace safety into focus, creating a situation that’s no longer just about wages and benefits.
All eyes are now on the September 30 deadline. Will Patina Group reach a deal with the union? Will Disney step in to encourage resolution? Or will the situation escalate into a historic labor action on park property?
For now, union organizers say they are not backing down. Public support is growing, and the workers behind these iconic dining locations are becoming increasingly vocal.
One thing is certain: The next month could reshape how labor works at Walt Disney World — and it might all hinge on what happens behind the scenes in a restaurant kitchen most guests never think twice about.
