Disney and Disney World Union Agree on Vaccinations

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 25, 2021

 

The Walt Disney Company reached an agreement early this week with the Services Trades Council Union requiring that Disney World workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 22, 2021.

 

The agreement allows for exemptions to be considered for medical and religious reasons. This goes along with Disney’s late July announcement that all non-union employees would be required to be fully vaccinated by the end of September.

 

Disney has more than 60,000 workers in Central Florida, with about 38,000 being unionized.

Unite Here Local 362 president Eric Clinton was quoted by the Orlando Sentinel, “This means to work at Walt Disney World, unless you have a medical or religious accommodation need, that you will be required to be vaccinated. Vaccines are the best way to protect all of us, and Disney will be requiring it of its cast members.”

 

Those claiming a medical exemption would have to provide a doctor’s note, and Disney “reserves the right to discuss the request with the employee’s doctor if the documentation provided is not sufficient to evaluate the accommodation request.”

 

As for a religious exemption, the agreement says, “For requests related to a religious accommodation, the employee will need to explain the nature of the religious belief, practice or observance and how it prevents the employee from receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. The Company reserves the right to discuss the nature of the religious belief, practice or observance with the employee’s religion’s spiritual leader or another third party who is aware of the employee’s religious belief, practice or observation.”

 

The Wall Street Journal noted that this was one of the first private-sector unions to agree to vaccination mandates, and more were expected with FDA full approval of the Pfizer vaccine this past Monday. 

 

In general, there has been little push back from unions on such mandates. At the same time, Florida has been at the forefront of states facing resurging COVID cases due to the Delta variant.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has three new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Again, get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story – grab it at Amazon.com or signed editions at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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Disneyland to Serve As Super Site for Vaccine Distribution

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

January 12, 2021

 

It’s been more than ten months since Disneyland closed its gates to guests hoping to ride “Pirates of the Caribbean” or “it’s a small world” in Anaheim. But in the effort to help stem the tide of the pandemic that brought its operations to a standstill, Disneyland will be partnering with Orange County to become the first large COVID-19 vaccination site in the county. Four additional sites are in the process of being finalized.

It’s no surprise that Disneyland was chosen for the task. It’s a sizeable facility, and Disney is certainly no stranger to moving large crowds. The site will become one of five regional “point-of-dispensing” sites, or “Super PODs,” vaccinating thousands of people each day.

 

Andrew Do, Acting Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, said in a press release, “The Disneyland Resort, the largest employer in the heart of Orange County, has stepped up to host the county’s first Super POD site – undertaking a monumental task in our vaccination distribution process.”

 

The goal of Orange County’s “Operation Independence” is to vaccinate all residents by July 4.

 

In Florida, where Disney World has already served as a COVID-19 testing site at its Maingate Complex, talks are underway to add vaccines to the mix. 

 

According to the Orlando Sentinel:

 

“Like hospitals across the state, Disney World has the capacity to store the vaccine with an ultracold freezer,” said state emergency director Jared Moskowitz during a virtual town hall with state Rep Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, last week.

 

“We have no ultracold freezer storage problems here in the state. There are plenty of hospitals with them. County health departments have them. Some universities have them. Disney World has one,” Moskowitz said, adding his department bought some, too.

 

For information about the Orange County California COVID-19 vaccination process, as well as who is eligible to receive vaccines and when, access the Orange County Health Care Agency’s website. 

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

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