Disney World union layoffs include 8,857 part-time employees

About 8,800 part-time Walt Disney World union employees who were on furlough will now be laid off, according to the union that represents the workers.

This brings the total amount of layoffs announced at Disney World to about 15,500. This means about 20% of 77,000 employees who work for Disney at the resort are being laid off.

Last month Disney announced that it would be laying off 28,000 employees as of Dec. 4, 2020, from its Disney Parks, Experiences and Products division at Disneyland and Disney World. It has previously announced 6,700 non-union cast members would be laid off.

“These are unprecedented times. It is unfortunate anytime a worker is laid off and the mass layoffs that Disney is facing are extremely difficult for 1000’s of Cast Members. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure their speedy return to work. We are proud to secure healthcare for Full-Time Cast Members and proud to preserve and recall rights of every Cast Member under our agreements,” Mark Hollis, president of the Services Trades Council Union, who leads a coalition of unions that represent 43,000 Disney World cast members.

Disney originally sought to layoff 5,200 full-time and 8,857 part-time workers, but after several days of negotiations the STCU said that no full-time cast members will be laid off, the union said in a news release.

The STCU and Disney also agreed that any cast members who are laid off in the future will retain their employment, their seniority, rate of pay, including any scheduled increases, and the right to return back to the previous job with Disney until Oct. 1, 2022, the union said.

Full-time employees will be given the opportunity, determined by seniority, either to return to their previous job if the position exists or to select a new full-time position through a new displacement transfer process. Those selecting a new position and do not have the seniority to immediately return to work, will remain on furlough and continue to receive health insurance.

If a full-time employee does not participate in the displacement transfer process the will be laid off.

HOW YOU HELP DISNEY WORLD CAST MEMBERS

If you would like to help Walt Disney World cast member, you can:

• Donate using the Amazon Wish List 
• Donate using Venmo to @castmemberpantry.