Disney World, Employees Reach Agreement on COVID-19 Testing
Walt Disney World and Actors' Equity Association, the union for its actors and singers, reached a coronavirus agreement (COVID-19) testing Wednesday.
Disney World employees are now allowed to return to work after they said they were locked out of the theme park reopening for publicly voicing their demand for COVID-19 testing from the company.
A state-run, drive-thru COVID-19 testing site for workers and the public was agreed to be set up at the Disney World resort, reported Associated Press.
Deadline reported that the new testing site would offer free Florida residents the service, including their employees and immediate families. The company claimed that setting up a COVID-19 testing site was not done to satisfy any union's demands.
Equity president, Kate Shindle, said that the union has consistently said that testing is essential in making sure the workers are safe. In a Fox Business article, she added the union is pleased that Disney World has agreed to have tests accessible to the workers.
The decision encouraged the union workers to sign a memo that lets them return to their jobs.
Who will manage the test site?
According to Disney, the testing site will be run under the Florida Division of Emergency Management. It will be located in Disney property but not inside the park, reported USA Today.
The testing site can be found outside the Disney Maingate Complex in Kissimmee, Florida. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Nasal tests will be self-administered by people from their cars, and results will take three to five days.
Disney officials said in their notice that its workers would have a testing lane dedicated to them and their families. They added that reservations could be made for testing starting Thursday.
The company also reminded that it is voluntary, and their cast members will not be paid for testing time. It is not yet clear how many actors and other performers will be called back to work now that the agreement has been signed
Equity represents 750 Disney World workers, among over 51,000 stage performers all over the U.S.
When did the COVID-19 test debate start for Disney World?
The debate for COVID-19 testing began on June 23, when Disney announced plans to recall cast members for rehearsals the following week. Equity announced two days later that its member actors needed to be tested since practicing social distancing would be hard to do inside the park.
Being in character, they will also not be allowed to wear masks while on the job.
On June 26, Walt Disney World canceled all of its recall notices for members from Equity. Around 220 actors and singers were asked to stay out of the theme park reopening due to the union concerns.
The union filed a labor grievance against Disney World, saying its members faced retaliation for asking for the COVID-19 tests.
Finally, the debate has ended with a testing agreement. But Shindle is still wary that the COVID-19 can affect the union members.
With possible lung damage to COVID-19 survivors, she recognizes that it can have a long-term effect on making a living as a performer. Even if someone is lucky enough to survive the virus, singing and vocalizing character dialogue may not be the same for Disney workers.
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