Over 11,300 union workers at Walt Disney World receive layoff notices
ORLANDO, Fla. - More Walt Disney World employees are on the chopping block due to the financial impact of the pandemic.
On Friday, Disney released the number of union employees of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. who will be laid off on Dec. 31.
The layoffs notice includes 11,350 union workers and the locations they worked.
The layoffs are a part of the previously announced 28,000 layoffs Disney would be making.
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The notice starts off with, "Due to the continuing business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the very difficult decision to reduce our workforce."
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On Friday, Bettina Buckley, vice president of Walt Disney World Resort Live Entertainment, issued a statement on the layoffs of its live performers.
She wrote on the Disney Parks Blog, in part:
"Walt Disney World Resort offers a treasure trove of experiences for guests of all ages. We recognize that part of the magic of visiting any Disney park is seeing favorite Disney friends and discovering one-of-a-kind shows and performances. Since reopening, we’ve continued to offer modified character experiences and entertainment throughout our resort, while also taking the appropriate steps for the health and safety of our guests and cast members."
"Recently, we’ve had to make some difficult decisions to reduce our workforce as the business impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic have become more long-lasting than anyone could have predicted. As a result, we’ve had to pause many live shows and entertainment experiences at our resort for longer than originally anticipated."
The post ended with: "Like most of our fans, we know that our beloved entertainment cast are an incredibly special and essential part of the Disney experience. We look forward to the day when we can welcome back more live entertainment to our parks, and we will share more news about these announcements as we’re able to do so."