Walt Disney World, union reach agreement on mandatory COVID-19 vaccines

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Service Trades Council Union and Walt Disney World have reached an agreement on mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, the union announced Monday afternoon.

“In the Agreement, Disney has made the decision to require all STCU represented employees to show proof of vaccination by October 22, 2021,” the union said.

Employees with medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs will be eligible to apply for an accommodation through a “negotiated process” that “ensures prompt processing of requests for accommodation, weekly meetings between the Union and Company to address concerns as they arise, an explanation if any accommodation is denied, and access to the grievance procedure should there be a dispute on the accommodation request,” the union said.

READ: Orange County teachers union pushes for mandatory mask mandate

Disney will make “every effort to reasonably accommodate employees with a medical or religious accommodation need in their current role or classification,” the union said.

Cast members who do not comply with the vaccine requirement and do not request a legitimate accommodation will be separated from the company with a “yes” rehire status, according to the union.

Disney will be hosting on-site vaccine events for the next several weeks. Cast members interested in getting vaccinated at work can find information on the HUB.

READ: Coronavirus: What are the symptoms of the delta variant in children?

Disney is offering its employees the Pfizer vaccine, according to the union.

“We appreciate the communication and collaboration with the union representatives as we put the safety of our Cast Members at the forefront of our health and safety protocols - getting the vaccine is the best way to protect each other,” a Disney spokesperson said.

STCU is Disney’s largest union representing more than 30,000 Cast Members. Disney said it is continuing discussions with other unions.

In late July, The Walt Disney Company announced that it will require all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S., working at any of its sites, to be fully vaccinated.

READ: 20% of all new Orange County COVID-19 cases in children ages 5-14

VIDEO: Disney’s quarterly earnings come in ahead of expectations as Disney+ takes off, theme parks recover

©2021 Cox Media Group