Frontline Hourly Cast Members Will Not Be Affected By Upcoming Layoffs

While yesterday’s Q1 earnings call was largely good news for the Walt Disney Company, there were also some unfortunate revelations.

As part of Bob Iger’s plan to reorganize the company, Disney was divided into three segments- Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Parks, Experiences and Products.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Upcoming Layoffs

In addition to this restructuring, Bob Iger announced that the company would be laying off nearly 7,000 employees in an attempt to cut company spending.

Cast Members

While many Wall Street insiders felt that a company reorganization was necessary, it was still a sad development for the dedicated employees of the Walt Disney company, and Disney fans.

Josh D’Amaro Responds

While Disney has yet to lay out who will be affected by the announced layoffs, in an email to cast members, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products president Josh D’Amaro said that the workforce reduction will impact every segment of the company, including Parks, Experiences and Products.

Photo: The Walt Disney Company-
Josh D’Amaro (Chairman; Disney Parks, Experiences and Products)

D’Amaro continued however, that the company does not expect these layoffs to impact hourly frontline roles in operations.

“As we determine our approach on achieving these savings, we will remain focused on delivering the best guest and consumer experiences, and do not expect this to affect our hourly frontline Operations roles.” he said.

Throughout his email to cast members, D’Amaro lauded them for their resilience during the company’s difficult past couple of years. He also assured them that the guest will always come first.

“As we look to the future, I want you to know that the Guest and consumer experience remains at the core of all we do. We will continue to listen to feedback and make decisions that enhance the quality of their experience.” D’Amaro promised.

In a similar email sent to Disney Entertainment and ESPN employees, those divisions announced that they will be finalizing plans soon and that “more permanent decisions about individual positions and teams will be made in the coming weeks as we build our our operations alignment”.

Good News For Frontline Cast

We certainly feel for those who work for Disney who are unsure about the future status of their jobs. It is  great however, to hear that the frontline cast members who make Disney magic will be safe.

For his part, D’Amaro sounded sympathetic to the uneasiness many are now feeling.

“I know how difficult this is to hear and understand the anxiety that comes with this kind of uncertainty. We will do everything we can to be transparent as things progress. And most importantly, we will act with respect and care every step of the way.” he concluded.

Photo Credit: Walt Disney World Cast and Community Facebook

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