Disney Slams ‘Gross and Unfair’ Criticisms From Disney Heiress | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This informational nugget was sent to me by Ben Shapiro, who represents the Daily Wire, and since this is one of the most topical news events, it should be published on BCN.

    The author of this post is James Barrett.

    Walt Disney Co. issued a blistering response to what the company describes as "gross and unfair" public criticisms of the way it treats its employees leveled by Abigail Disney, the granddaughter of co-founder Roy Disney.

    The heiress, a documentary filmmaker and philanthropist who is an advocate for fair wages, told Yahoo News in an interview published Monday that she recently went to the original Disneyland theme park in Anaheim in order to better understand "the situation and the context" of the employees, whom, she suggested, are underpaid and treated poorly.

    "I went to Anaheim, and I wanted to be sure I understood the situation and the context really, really well," she told Yahoo's "Through Her Eyes" show. She left "livid."

    "[Disney CEO Bob Iger] needs to understand he's an employee, just the same as the people scrubbing gum off the sidewalk are employees," said Disney. "And they're entitled to all the same dignity and human rights that he is."

    Iger was paid $66 million last year, a paycheck that is "more than 1,000 times what the median Disney employee made in 2018, according to Equilar," Yahoo notes.

    "Every single one of these people I talked to were saying, 'I don't know how I can maintain this face of joy and warmth when I have to go home and forage for food in other people's garbage,'" said Disney. "I was so livid when I came out of there because, you know, my grandfather taught me to revere these people that take your tickets, that pour your soda. Those people are much of the recipe for success."

    The company has since responded at length, blasting the claims as "egregious" and "baseless" and defending how much it compensates employees.

    "We generally avoid commenting on such baseless reports like this, but this one is particularly egregious and we won't let this stand," a statement posted on Inside The Magic reads (full statement below). "We strongly disagree with this characterization of our employees and their experience at Disney. This widely reported stunt is a gross and unfair exaggeration of the facts that is not only a misrepresentation but also an insult to the thousands of employees who are part of the Disney community. We continually strive to enhance the employment experience of our more than 200,000 employees through a variety of benefits and programs that provide them opportunity, mobility and well-being."

    Full statement below:

• We generally avoid commenting on such baseless reports like this, but this one is particularly egregious and we won't let this stand.
• We strongly disagree with this characterization of our employees and their experience at Disney. This widely reported stunt is a gross and unfair exaggeration of the facts that is not only a misrepresentation, but also an insult to the thousands of employees who are part of the Disney community. We continually strive to enhance the employment experience of our more than 200,000 employees through a variety of benefits and programs that provide them opportunity, mobility and well-being.
• At our parks in Orlando and Anaheim, The Walt Disney Company currently pays its hourly workers an average of $19.50 an hour, significantly above the federal minimum wage. But we understand the challenges workers and families face in 2019 are complex and go beyond the paycheck. That's why we provide a wide range of benefits and initiatives to improve our employees' lives at and outside of work: from subsidized childcare to generous leave policies, from convenient access to pharmacies and clinics to free college degrees and vocational training programs for hourly employees.
• We recognize the economic challenges facing all working families. And we continually meet with our employees in the process of developing even stronger programs. Still, we're proud of the work we've done to improve the lives of our employees, and of the more than 45,000 jobs we've added in the United States since 2005. The men and women who make Disney parks such a special experience for millions of people are dedicated, hardworking and proud, and wewill continue to listen to, empower and reward them. That's what this company has done throughout its history and will continue to do in the future.