Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) is facing another politically fueled revolt by its workforce, but this time the company’s employees are requesting that corporate leadership stay away from politics while expressing fear that any worker who speaks openly about their conservative-leaning views would lose their job.
What Happened: The blog Inside the Magic first reported on an open letter posted by a group of Disney Cast Members who stated they have become “invisible within the company” because their views are not in sync with left-leaning employees who have become vocal on several political issues.
“The Walt Disney Company has come to be an increasingly uncomfortable place to work for those of us whose political and religious views are not explicitly progressive,” the letter said. “We watch quietly as our beliefs come under attack from our own employer, and we frequently see those who share our opinions condemned as villains by our own leadership.
“The company’s evolving response to the so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation in Florida has left many of us wondering what place we have in a company actively promoting a political agenda so far removed from our own,” the letter continued. “TWDC leadership frequently communicates its commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where cast members feel comfortable sharing their perspectives and being their authentic selves at work. That is not our workplace experience.”
The letter’s authors expressed frustration over CEO Bob Chapek’s “condemnation for laws and policies we support” and demands from progressive-leaning co-workers who have agitated for “a strong stance on not only this issue but other legislation and openly advocate for the punishment of employees who disagree with them.”
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What Else Happened: The letter’s authors also slammed the company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives for not leaving “much room for religious or political conservatives” and complained that they are called “bigots” by co-workers who do not share their views, which they said they are forced to keep themselves “out of fear of professional retaliation.”
The letter called on Disney’s leadership to rebuff “left-wing political pressure” and focus on entertainment content while staying neutral on political issues that dominate the headlines.
“Disney shouldn’t be a vehicle for one demographic’s political activism,” the letter said. “It’s so much bigger and more important than that. More than ever, the world needs things that we can unite around. That’s the most valuable role The Walt Disney Company could play in the world at this time.”
Disney’s executive leadership did not issue a response to the publication of the letter.
Photo: Abilash Jacob / Pixabay
