"I don't want to downplay anyone's efforts, if someone feels what they are doing is the right way to make an impact," said Eric Clinton, president of Unite Here! Local 362, which represents custodians, housekeepers and other Disney World theme park workers.
Ron DeSantis's signature.īob Chapek, chairman of parks, experiences, and products for The Walt Disney Company, speaks during the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge dedication ceremony at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Aug. It is currently waiting for Republican Gov. On one side are LGBTQ advocates and Disney employees calling for a walkout in protest of CEO Bob Chapek's slow response in publicly criticizing the Florida legislation, which bars instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The debate forced Disney into a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace.
According to a Disney official, there had been no interruptions in any operations.ĭisney employed 190,000 workers as of last October, with roughly three-quarters working in its theme parks division. Throughout the day, pockets of employees staged demonstrations at various sites throughout the country, including near Orlando's Walt Disney World and Walt Disney Animation Studios in California.
workers participated in a national walkout Tuesday, organizers felt they had won a moral victory with the company issuing a statement denouncing Florida legislation known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which sparked employee outrage. Even though only a small percentage of Walt Disney Co.