Disney axes 1,900 theme park jobs
The Walt Disney Company is slashing 1,900 jobs at its US theme parks.
The losses are part of an earlier announced reorganisation, representing about 11% of salaried employees in the division.
Some 1,200 people were made redundant and 700 open positions will be left unfilled in the second phase of a reorganisation begun in 2005 that was accelerated by the recession.
“These decisions were not made lightly, but are essential to maintaining our leadership in family tourism and reflect today’s economic realities,” said Disney spokeswoman Tasia Filippatos.
The latest reorganisation, designed to further unify two units operating separately at parks in Orlando, Florida, and Anaheim, California, was announced in February, but new leadership put in place took time to determine what cuts were necessary.
The vast majority of the cuts came from managerial and other salaried staff, not from employees in the parks who interact with park visitors. Some further reductions are planned.
Among the cuts announced were 50 executives who accepted a voluntary buyout that was offered to 600 people.
