Disney World Reaches Vaccination Agreement With Unions
ORLANDO (CBSMiami/AP) — Union workers at the Walt Disney World Resort will now have to roll up their sleeves and get a COVID-19 vaccine if they want to keep their jobs.
The deal was reached Monday with a union coalition, shortly after the Pfizer vaccine earned full Food and Drug Administration approval. It requires the workers to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 22 to remain employed.
Fully vaccinated means two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a single dose of the Johson & Johnson vaccine.
Employees can request exemptions for medical or religious reasons, a union statement said. If an exemption is granted, it may require the employee to transfer to another open position within the resort.
Any employee who doesn't comply, and doesn't request an exemption, will be "separated from the company with a 'yes' rehire status," in case they do get vaccinated later, according to the Service Trades Council Union.
Before layoffs and furloughs due to the pandemic, the coalition covered about 43,000 of 77,000 Disney World workers.
Disney announced last month that all non-union hourly and salaried employees would be required to receive the vaccine within 60 days. The company also asked all employees who were working from home to show proof of vaccination before returning to work.
The company will hold vaccination on-site vaccine events for employees over the next several weeks, the union statement said.
