NEWS: Union Members Urge Disneyland to Rehire More Cast Members

It’s been a little over three months since Disneyland Resort welcomed guests back and each week we’ve seen more open in the parks and resorts as part of their phased reopening plan.

Disney California Adventure

Now, most attractions, restaurants, and stores are available once again for guests, though there are still plenty more to go. And, one major aspect of reopening that guests may not directly see is the increase in Cast Members returning to work for Disney, but Disneyland labor unions are saying they could be doing more.

According to the Orange County Register, Disneyland union members recently held a rally urging Disney to rehire more furloughed and laid off Cast Members and increase Cast Member pay rates.

Cast Member in Disneyland

To date, Disneyland has hired back roughly 60% of its workforce, currently employing around 19,000 Cast Members. However, this is about 13,000 fewer people than were employed by Disneyland prior to the pandemic (which was around 32,000).

Cast Members returning to Disneyland

And, when it comes to Disneyland’s former Cast Members, the company had laid off more than 11,500 Cast Members and furloughed thousands more by the end of 2020. But, since reopening, Disneyland officials have reported that they’ve offered to rehire 85% back, with about 2,500 returning to work just in the month of July.

Cast Members

Disneyland has also shared that they are prioritizing rehiring “laid off cast members with direct access to our recruiters for other employment opportunities,” as furloughed employees are still receiving health care benefits from the company.

Cast Member at the main gate!

Of course, we’ll continue to keep an eye out for more updates as more reopens in Disneyland. And, in the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and updates!