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cast member union protesters and bob iger

Disney Acknowledges “Labor Disputes” In Message to Shareholders

The Walt Disney Company has just sent the 2023 Proxy Statement to Disney shareholders, and there have already been many takeaways from the document (including a controversial proposal and a surprising reveal about Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger and his expensive fixation on personal security).

In the 2023 Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement that was sent to Disney shareholders, Disney also acknowledged the challenges that “labor disputes” might present for the Walt Disney Company going forward.

According to the document from the Walt Disney Company, “labor disputes may disrupt our operations and adversely affect the profitability of any of our businesses.”

In addition, the document mentions that “cost of employee health, welfare and pension benefits, including postretirement and medical benefits for some employees and retirees, may reduce our profitability.”

Cast Member Strike

A Cast Member with a protest sign, surrounded by other protesting Cast Members.

Disney did clarify in the document, to be clear, that “a forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances” and that “undue reliance” should not be placed upon these “forward-looking statements”.

However, because Disney employees’ compensation has been on many Walt Disney World Resort fans’ minds due to the ongoing wage negotiations between Disney and its Cast Members, these statements will most likely move to the forefront of Disney employees’ and Disney shareholders’ minds going forward.

cast members protesting and cast members smiling and waving in the disney parks

Cast Members protesting and Cast Members in the Disney Parks.

Many Disney Cast Members have openly spoken about their struggles with poverty via videos on social media, and Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger seems to have exacerbated the situation by praising Disney Cast Members for their work even as the union wage negotiations continue to leave Disney Cast Members unsatisfied.

Disney did just promote one of its Disney Entertainment and ESPN Human Resources executives, Sonia Coleman, with the intention to reportedly help Coleman serve as Disney employees’ “greatest champion.” In the document that was sent to shareholders, Disney also mentioned that “the Company has received no written comments…from staff…that remain unresolved.”

sonia coleman and bob iger smiling

Have you been following along with the news from the Walt Disney Company? Are you a Disney shareholder who follows updates from Disney, visits your favorite Disney Park often, and who has received this document?

About Sharon

Sharon is a writer and animal lover from New England. Sharon's two main focuses in her work are Disney's correlations with pop culture and the significance of Disney princesses (which was the basis for her college thesis). When she's not writing about Disney, Sharon spends her time singing, dancing, and cavorting with woodland creatures!