Abigail Disney Livid After Seeing ‘Intolerable’Worker Conditions At Disneyland

Abigail Disney Livid After Seeing Intolerable Worker Conditions At Disneyland

The granddaughter of Disney’s co-founder Roy O. Disney went undercover in the “Happiest Place on Earth” after an employee reached out via Facebook.

It’s not every day an heiress visits Disneyland, but Abigail Disney, an heiress of the Walt Disney empire, did and she was livid after she went undercover and found a grim reality beneath the facade of the “Happiest Place on Earth.”

Abigail Disney, 59, decided to look into working conditions at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California last year, after a distressed Disneyland worker reached out to her via Facebook. What she found in Disneyland left her disenchanted and livid, she says, “clashed with the values of her grandfather, Roy O. Disney, who co-founded the company with his brother, Walt Disney.”

Abigail Disney told Yahoo News-

“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,’

She recalled in an interview, saying that it was not the work environment her grandfather Roy O. Disney sought out to create. “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.”

Abigail Disney went on to say “When my grandfather worked there, he hired people there to have a job for life,” she said, sharing her belief that the company’s respect for its workers has gradually declined over the past few decades.

Abigail Disney doesn’t have an active role in the company, she is a filmmaker and philanthropist and discussed her experience going undercover at Disneyland when she appeared on the weekly Yahoo! news show “Through her eyes,” hosted by human rights activist Zainab Salbi, that explores contemporary news issues from a female perspective. During the interview she also shard that she aims to bring The Walt Disney Company’s pay practices to light in an effort to preserve a work culture of respect that originated with her Grandfather, Roy O. Disney, Walt Disney’s Brother.

This isn’t the first time Abigail Disney has called out The Walt Disney Company. She called out chairman and CEO Bob Iger in particular, back in the spring, after it became known that he made a whopping $65.6 million during the 2018 fiscal year! Abigail Disney, the heiress called Bob Iger’s corporate payout “insane” and shared that it has a “corrosive impact on society.” According to her calculations, Bob Iger could have awarded a 15% raise to every Disneyland employee and still pocket $10 million in his own compensation! Following Abigail Disney’s interview with Fast Company, The Walt Disney Company issued a statement in defense of the pay structure, specifically regarding how they compensate Disneyland employees.

In the statement issued by the Walt Disney Company Spokesman-

They discuss the fact that Disneyland employs an estimated 30,000 cast members and pays a starting hourly wage of $15, which is higher than the California minimum wage requirements of $12 an hour. Additionally, they also bring up the fact that full-time employees are also offered low-cost health care benefits and child care assistance.

the spokesperson also went on to highlight the company’s newest initiative helping its employees advance in education, Disney Aspire. “Disney is at the forefront of providing workforce education, which is widely recognized as the best way to create economic opportunity for employees and empower upward mobility. The Disney Aspire initiative is the most comprehensive employee education program in the country, covering 100 percent of all tuition costs, books and fees so our hourly workers can pursue higher education free of charge, and graduate free of debt,” said the Disney spokesperson.

The statement later adds that Disney made a commitment of $150 million to fund the Disney Aspire initiative for the first five years, with plans to continue to make future investments. Disney also confirmed that employees have access to subsidized child care and flexible schedules if they plan to participate in the initiative.

“American workers need meaningful change; they deserve smart policies and practical programs, like Disney Aspire, that empower them to achieve their goals and ensure they are part of the most competitive workforce in the world,” the statement concludes

 GOBankingRates recently estimated The Walt Disney Co. has a net worth of $130 billion. The Walt Disney Co. enjoyed a record profit of $12.6 billion last year on nearly $60 billion in revenue, with much thanks to the strong performance of its theme parks.