The first of many Walt Disney World unions has given preliminary numbers on how many of its members will be laid off as a result of Disney’s decision to lay off 28,000 Cast Members in the domestic theme parks and resorts.
According to Carpenters Local 1820, Disney has requested that they lay off 184 members, working in 19 job classifications. The job types range from fleet mechanics to carpenters, parade support to welders. Local 1820 does note that these are initial numbers, and that Disney will begin layoffs for their members in November, so a final count could change between now and then.
Disney World initially announced that there would be about 6,700 non-union positions that would be laid off. The announcement of 6,700 non-union jobs lost led some outlets to incorrectly report that Disney World will account for 25% of the 28,000 total Cast Members to be laid off, but that would ignore the sizable unionized workforce at Disney World, of which we know very little about when it comes to total layoffs.
As an example, the Service Trades Council Union (STCU) represents roughly 43,000 Cast Members at Walt Disney World. The STCU has not yet reported their layoff numbers to the state, which could be a significant portion of the outstanding 14,000+ Cast Members who are still unaccounted for out of the 28,000 total. The STCU still has tens of thousands of members who remain on unpaid furlough. When it is all said and done, Disney World layoffs will account for a far greater percentage of the total layoffs than 25%.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!