For Disneyland employees, reopenings amid a deadly pandemic is very little fairytale
28 June, 2020
Workers at California’s Disneyland Holiday resort protested from their autos on Saturday, arguing that the Walt Disney Co hasn't agreed to enough protections for staff members when the vacation spot reopens to the general public amid a pandemic.
The company had planned to welcome guests back to Disneyland and neighboring California Adventure starting July 17 but delayed the restart date indefinitely.
Disney said this week that it could set a fresh opening date after the state issues rules about how theme parks may return to organization safely amid the global coronavirus outbreak.
On Saturday, about 200 cars formed a caravan outside the vacation resort in the protest staged by the Coalition of Vacation resort Labor Unions, a group of 11 unions that represent 17,000 Disneyland employees.
The unions have called on the business to commit to providing onsite testing for COVID-19, the disease due to the novel coronavirus.
“When Disney will reopen, we want it to come to be as safe as easy for cast customers, for the friends, and for the family members that cast members need to get back to,” said Maria Hernandez, a union member who attended the rally.
Disney said in a Saturday statement that it has already reached agreements on coronavirus protections with 20 union affiliates that include additional sick pay, face coverings for friends and cast associates, and reduced park capability.
In a letter to unions earlier this week, a Disney representative said existing COVID-19 testing had not been advised by U.S. health authorities for routine screening.
Instead, health officials recommend concentrating on physical distancing, encounter coverings, hand washing and sanitization, the letter said.
Disney began shutting its theme parks in January due to the coronavirus pass on. It possesses reopened parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong to a limited number of guests. The business plans to wide open Walt Disney World in Florida on July 11.
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