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Orange County Coronavirus

Disneyland Reopening Indefinitely Delayed by Gov. Gavin Newsom After Pressure from Worker Coalition

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Disneyland in Anaheim.

By Spencer Custodio Spencer Custodio | June 25, 2020
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A coalition of thousands of Disneyland-area resort workers and their representative unions on Wednesday got help from Gov. Gavin Newsom, securing an indefinite delay in the reopening of Disney’s two Anaheim theme parks during Coronavirus. 


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Disneyland officials were pushing to reopen July 17, but workers and their unions worried about lax safety protections lobbied officials across the spectrum in recent weeks, even launching an online petition. 

“Our members have been reaching out to the City Council, through Facebook — there’s just been a storm of people saying it’s not safe. And I think residents across Orange County are concerned. There’s quite a few things here. One of them is covid cases are climbing,” said Ada Briceño, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, which represents thousands of resort workers. 

“The other thing is that there are people that come all over the country and the world to Disneyland — what about the guest experience and the health of the overall community,” said Briceño, who’s also chair of the Orange County Democratic Party. 

A dozen unions representing 17,000 employees in Disneyland and the surrounding resort area sent a letter to Newsom last Wednesday, urging him to not approve Disney’s reopening plans. The unions are concerned about the lack of on-site virus testing and other safety measures

“We need to talk about necessary steps like testing workers, ensuring the highest level of cleanliness. So that’s why we’re still having the car caravan Saturday,” Briceño said. “We’re continuing to make progress, we just got assurance that face shields will be provided to those who need them, but testing is still uncertain and the cleanliness is still uncertain.” 

Photo by Unite Here Local 11, via Facebook

Ada Briceño, the county Democratic Party chair and labor leader, sitting in the street during the hotel workers’ rally on Jan. 24, 2019.

Although Disney announced the reopening plans a couple weeks ago, which would’ve opened the park July 17, it all depended on Newsom to modify his business closure orders. 

Briceño said Newsom knows the workers’ concerns. 

“We have been in communication with Newsom’s office and he understands our concern.” 

Disney issued a statement Wednesday, calling off the July 17 reopening date. 

“The State of California has now indicated that it will not issue theme park reopening guidelines until sometime after July 4. Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials,” reads the statement on Twitter. 

The community has also been pushing back, with over 50,000 people — and counting — signing an online petition urging Disney to delay the reopening of its two Anaheim theme parks. 

Some residents and employees have emailed Anaheim City Councilmembers, urging them to delay the Disneyland reopening because of the virus. 

Although Anaheim is OC’s largest city with 11 percent of the total population, it also has roughly 20 percent of all the virus cases. Most of those cases are in working-class West Anaheim, in neighborhoods straddling the resort area. 

Disneyland workers have been reaching out to Voice of OC for the past couple weeks, shortly after the multinational entertainment giant announced reopening plans. 

“A lot of us are already worried about going back because we don’t feel safe with the numbers of the COVID 19 still up, there are a lot that have at risk family members or themselves that they have to worry about and now with this new rule it will be more of a worry for them and for the rest of us! This is irresponsible at this time!” wrote one employee in an email.

Another Disneyland employee was concerned nobody has touched a ride for months and said the company was reopening too quickly because they haven’t been trained on the operating protocols under the pandemic. 

“I’m concerned about the training aspect, because it’ll be about four months since anyone touched an attraction,” the employee said. “I think we’re opening up too early.” 

United Food and Commercial Worker union local 324 President, Andrea Zinder, joined other labor leaders Monday and called for OC officials to enforce the statewide mask mandate and to delay Disneyland’s reopening.

Zinder called on Disney to implement more safety measures for employees, like on-site coronavirus testing and paid quarantine leave if an employee catches the virus. The UFCW represents about 3,000 workers in the Disneyland-resort area. 

“If Disney is not willing to invest a little extra in employees’ health, it should not be allowed to reopen,” Zinder said. 

 GlynnDana Shelvin, an employee at the Disneyland Hotel, told Voice of OC that she wants on-site virus testing, increased sanitation measures and temperature checks at the gates for everyone — customers and employees.  

“I’m asking them to step it up,” said Shelvin, a 30-year employee.

She said she worries about the health of tourists, her coworkers and her own, as Shelvin just turned 60, she said. 

“A lot of our visitors are families with small children,” Shelvin said.

Spencer Custodio is a Voice of OC staff reporter. You can reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio

How can I sign up for a vaccine?

For full details on the COVID-19 vaccine in Orange County view our Voice of OC vaccine page that is constantly updated and has links of where to register for an appointment: http://bit.ly/occovidvaccine.

What is COVID-19? Do I have it?

INFORMATION View the CDC website. View OC's website. View the latest OC case counts.

TRANSLATIONS See the county's guides in non-English languages. Learn key Coronavirus facts in Vietnamese and Spanish via VietRise. See VietRISE guides in Spanish and Vietnamese.

PROTECTION To limit exposure, the CDC recommends: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with others, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask when around others, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

SYMPTOMS The CDC identifies these key symptoms that can occur any time between 2 and 14 days after exposure: Fever or chills, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches,  headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea. If you suspect Coronavirus, CALL your primary medical provider.

EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS If you display any of the following emergency warning signs, seek immediate medical attention: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face.

RISK The CDC identifies people most at risk for serious illness: Older adults, and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

What is open?

RESIDENTS The County of Orange offers a list of notices and news on what guidance is given for families and persons.

SCHOOLS The latest information for the county is available from the Orange County Board of Education.

STATE GUIDE TO WHAT IS OPEN A full list of statewide guidelines for what is open and what is closed.

SOCIAL DISTANCING Staying away from other people is called "social distancing." The aim is to SLOW the spread of Coronavirus so as to not overwhelm the nation's health care systems and so that people in need can get help. The Washington Post explains: "The spread (of COVID-19) can be slowed, public health professionals say, if people practice "social distancing" by avoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement."

What support is available?

STRESS & ANXIETY Stress and anxiety can be triggered by the situation and resources are available to help from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and from the American Psychology Association. Concern over this new virus can make children and families anxious, here are tips on talking with children about COVID-19.

MENTAL HEALTH The County of Orange offers a list of available mental health support services.

FIRST RESPONDERS The County of Orange offers these support services for first responders and health care workers.

BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS The County of Orange offers a list of up-to-date guidelines for business and faith-based/community organizations.

FOOD ASSISTANCE Voice of OC offers a weekly list of available food pantries in Orange County. You can also apply for food benefits over the phone through the CalFresh program at 800-281-9799 or online.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Buses and trains still offer service, but routes have been reduced so make sure to check your route ahead of time.

HOMELESSNESS The County of Orange offers a list of available shelter beds and other resources.

GENERAL FINANCIAL HELP Here are some services:

  •   • Find information on unemployment and disability benefits.
  •   • The Orange County Social Services Agency, despite closing its lobby, is processing online filings for assistance programs. This includes emergency cash assistance for immediate needs like rent or medical bills. The phone line has averaged a 30 minute wait time and offers a callback service, but people are encouraged to apply for benefits online.
  •   • Residents can apply for any of these programs by calling 800-281-9799.

RESTAURANT OWNERS & EMPLOYEES You can find a detailed list of resources available to restaurant owners and employees

How can I help?

VOLUNTEERING A statewide guide offers examples of ways to volunteer safely during Coronavirus. Options include, but are not limited to: donating plasma, making cloth face masks and supporting local food banks. Orange County's Second Harvest Food Bank lists support options online.

DONATIONS An Orange County Community Resilience Fund has been started through the OC Community Foundation to raise money for local nonprofits and volunteer organizations.

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SUBTOPICS:
  • Anaheim
  • Economy
  • Top Stories
  • Ada Briceno
  • Disneyland
  • Disneyland reopening
  • Orange County Coronavirus
  • Unite Here Local 11

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