As part of several stops in Southern California, Senator Bernie Sanders addressed Disneyland union members as well as other members of the public at River Church as part of a rally that supports a potential ballot initiative to rage select wages in Anaheim. The initiative will raise the minimum wage for business that receive economic development assistance from the city of Anaheim to $15 an hour next year, then rising in $1 increments annually, reaching $18 an hour by 2022.
What Senator Bernie Sanders is Saying:
- “If a corporation like Disney has enough to pay its CEO over $400 million in a four-year period, it damn well has enough to pay its workers at least 15 bucks an hour.
- Recently, Disney CEO Bob Iger did the right thing and cancelled Roseanne after her racist tweet. I say to Mr. Iger: you have another opportunity to lead. Stand with working families by paying all your employees a living wage and making health care a right, not a privilege.
- In the year 2018, no one in America, especially those working for a profitable corporation like Disney, should be homeless or not be able to feed their families.
- You want to know what is radical? A company like Disney that makes $9 billion in profits while nearly 75% of its workers at Disneyland can’t cover their monthly living expenses. Paying your workers a living wage is not a radical idea.
What Others Are Saying:
- Suzi Brown, Disneyland Resort Spokesperson: “We currently are negotiating one of the largest union contracts at Disneyland Resort, with an offer that increases starting wages of 36 percent over three years, paying $15 an hour by 2020 — two years ahead of California’s minimum wage. In addition, we are launching an education program that will help hourly cast members pursue skills and degrees to further their careers. We are proud of our commitment to our cast, and the fact that more people choose to work at Disneyland Resort than anywhere else in Orange County. While Mr. Sanders continues to criticize Disney to keep himself in the headlines, we continue to support our cast members through investments in wages and education.”
- Todd Ament, CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce: ““While touting himself as a friend of the working man, Bernie has come all this way to support a measure that will result in thousands of lost jobs for the people of Anaheim.”
Video of the Event:
Disneyland’s Recent Offer:
- Disneyland recently made an offer to one of its largest union group that included an offer of a 36% increase to minimum rates over a three-year span
- The offer also includes an immediate 20% increase to minimum rates upon ratification and a path
to $15 an hour by 2020 – two years ahead of California’s minimum wage reaching that level - For more information, see our full story on the offer