'None Of Us Are Safe': Disney Layoffs Continue As Pandemic Closures Carry On
ANAHEIM (CBSLA) — Layoffs continue for thousands of Disney workers, many of whom are already struggling to make ends meet.
Last month, the company announced that it was going to lay off nearly 30,000 workers across its theme parks and resorts. This weekend, the company will be telling individual workers by email if they are one of those laid off.
"None of us are safe," Linda Rodriguez, a cast member, said. "I know people that have been with the company 10 years, and they've been laid off."
So, instead of planning a festive Halloween weekend with her family, Rodriguez is now waiting to see if the other shoe will drop.
"Every day I'm checking my email, running out to the postman," she said. "Some people aren't getting their mail, so it's like you don't even know if you're laid off or not."
For the past 14 years, Rodriguez has worked as a server at the Disneyland Resort. She was furloughed eight months ago. Making a fraction of her wages, she said her savings are running out.
"We don't have food on the table," she said. "We can't give to our children right now. It's bad."
And with no opening date in sight for Disneyland Resort and Park, tens of thousands of workers in food and beverage, hotel and retail will continue to be laid off. More people are expected to be notified starting Sunday.
"I haven't received an email — it's not Nov. 1 yet — but I think the longer this goes into the New Year, I am sure they're probably going to lay off more," Drew Lockerby, a pastor, said.
Both Lockerby and his son are cast members at the Anaheim park. He said they are waiting in faith to find out their fate.
"This is out of my control," Lockerby said. "He's sovereign. He knows what I'm going through.
"I've been a cast member for 12 years now," he continued. "Before I signed the application that I wanted to be a cast member at Disneyland, God knew 12 years ago that I would be on furlough today."
Instead of panicking, Lockerby started praying and then came up with a plan. He and his son posted a video and invited furloughed and laid off cast members to a drive-up food pantry.
"Close to 900 cars came through the food line," he said. "They received boxes of food, a pumpkin and candies."
Rodriguez was one of the cast members who volunteered to help.
"It was so sad seeing people you know, you're waving to them, and you haven't seen in a couple months, and they're like, 'I got laid off, Linda,' and you're just like, you know, it is heartbreaking," she said.
The layoffs will come, but Lockerby said so will the miracles.
"My prayer is for them that God will enable them to find the strength to move through this," he said.
Disneyland plans to layoff at least 28,000 workers, but that number could go up the longer the parks are required to stay closed.
