Trying to get Cast Members back to work

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the union released a statement to members saying, “Earlier this week, staff had a meeting with Walt Disney World to discuss our grievance, and renew a request that Disney provide masks and testing. Disney refused on both counts. That means the Equity members are being offered a lesser safety standard than other park workers. That isn’t right.”

And while it may seem reasonable to ask actors to go without a mask or a face shield during a performance, it is worth noting that live shows at nearby Universal Orlando Resort like The Universal Horror Make-up Show and the newly opened Borne Stuntacular are all performed with actors in masks and/or face shields, so it looks like there could be ways to implement this safety measure creatively for many of Walt Disney World's stage shows. 

This lockout affects approximately 250 actors at Walt Disney World and though there are some who support the union's strategy, others released a statement this week saying “While we appreciate our union’s efforts on our behalf, we strongly believe that Disney has taken the necessary safety precautions for a phase one reopening, and that we deserve a voice in the assessment of these new protocols.”

As of right now it looks like the situation has unfortunately reached a stalemate, with neither Disney nor the actors' union able to come to a reasonable compromise that will allow actors to both work in the parks and continue to stay safe as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, not only as it will allow the actors to return to work, but it will also add much needed capacity to parks like Disney's Hollywood Studios, which has been filling up its parks pass availability regularly (especially for annual passholders) and has been more crowded than the other theme parks.