Disney Planet staff members petition to delay reopening

As the amount of coronavirus scenarios surge in Florida, extra than 7,000 individuals have signed an online petition urging Disney and federal government officials to reconsider the opening of Disney Globe next month.

“This virus is not long gone, however it really is only turn out to be even worse in this state,” the petition, which was posted on MoveOn.org on Sunday, states. “Obtaining our concept parks stay shut until finally instances are steadily reducing would keep our friends, our employees and their families safe and sound. Re-opening the topic parks is only placing our guests, workforce, and households at bigger threat for contracting COVID-19.”

Associates for Disney and for the area Walt Disney Earth personnel union were being not instantly obtainable to remark.

The petition will come as coronavirus situations are rising promptly in the condition. The Florida Department of Wellness noted 5,508 new instances overnight, in accordance to information revealed by the company, bringing the total in the state to 109,014.

As with a lot of on the net petitions, it is hard to ascertain if signees are in fact Walt Disney staff members or if the petition is union-backed. There is no point out in the petition itself of any affiliation with an employee union.

Disney’s theme parks hire all around 70,000 individuals and are anticipated to start out a phased reopening on July 11. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom would be the initially parks to open up, followed by Hollywood Studios and Epcot on July 15.

Already rival Common Studios in Orlando has reopened its parks.

Disney has already reopened parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and has dates set for reopening its Paris and Japan-based spots. The corporation has announced a selection of basic safety measures that will be set in position on reopening in Florida including the need that masks be worn, that attendees continue being social distanced and an maximize in sanitation stations. 

“While theme parks are a great way to loosen up and get pleasure from no cost time, it is a non-essential enterprise it is not truthful to the persons who get the job done there to hazard their lives, specifically if they are at danger or have household associates who are at possibility,” the petition reads. “Persons are additional significant than making a income.”

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent business of NBCUniversal and CNBC.