Disney's CEO Sends Letter To Employees Asking Them To Fund TTP With Their Paychecks

Just when you thought the "Outsourcing" of Disney IT jobs story was going to go away we now have these same "SOB's" Soliciting money from their employees to make it even easier to replace them with TPP and other Trade deals.

I feel sorry for the employees. I really do. Disney has really become a loathsome company.



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The Letter Disney's CEO Sent To Disney Employees Asking Them To Fund Disney's Sketchy Lobbying Activities

from the oh-really-now? dept

Here's quite a scoop from Joe Mullin over at Ars Technica. Apparently, Disney is getting a bit desperate on the whole TPP thing. The company, which has been having a rough go of things because of the next generation not giving a # about ESPN, decided to take things up a notch. CEO Bob Iger apparently emailed Disney employees asking them to contribute to DisneyPAC, specifically to help Disney pay for lobbyists to push the TPP across the finish line. They even made it so easy that employees can donate directly from their payroll. Here's the letter, with some commentary (how can I resist?):

The Letter to Employees: arstechnica.com...

The Translation:

We're a big giant company, and as such, we've stopped innovating. So we need to keep friends in Washington to protect us from innovation and competition. Please consider taking your hard earned money and giving it to us so we can keep doing that kind of thing.

Have you heard about the TPP? It was negotiated in backrooms by special interests -- but good news -- we're one of the big special interests! So we helped craft it and it's got all sorts of goodies for us. Not the public, of course. Or even you workers. But it's really awesome for Disney bosses.

By the way, did we mention that 18 years ago we successfully extended copyright 20 years to keep Mickey Mouse from reaching the public domain, and we have two years left to do it again. Think of the Mouse, Disney employees. Think of the mouse!

Yes, thanks to our efforts, we were able to destroy innovative technologies that consumers really liked! And now we're losing customers who are ditching cable. But rather than help us innovate, please contribute more money so that we can shut down other new innovations. Because we're Disney and thwarting innovation is just what we do these days.

Can you believe those numbskulls in Washington? We already did this once and suddenly they're back again, talking about the public interest and consumer rights and all that crap again. Please help us put an end to it.

We successfully got awesome anti-public / pro-Disney language into the TPP and now we can do it again in other trade deals. Go team! Help us lock up culture even more! And pretend it's about "free trade."

Because, yes, we know that you, dear Disney employee, are quite concerned about the tax rates of giant conglomerates like Disney. Please give us money to help us get a tax break! We may give you a free ticket to Disneyland in exchange. But no free music or movies. That's bad.

Did you hear about the newly nominated Librarian of Congress? We hear she actually cares about the public and open access, and that's bad and must be stopped. At the very least, let's rip the Copyright Office out from under her and put it in the hands of people who understand us better. And by "understand" I mean, will soon accept jobs from us when they "transition" out of government work.

Did I mention our successful efforts in killing innovation? This is the next part of our plan. Like the internet? F*** you. We're Disney and we're going to f*** it up. With your money, hopefully!

Did you notice how odd it was that the FCC suddenly seemed to be caring about consumers again? We can't have that. We CANNOT have that. Please help us destroy the FCC. Sure your cable bills will be higher, and the internet will suck, but we're Disney. We've got a mouse.

We'll take money straight from your paycheck and put it to work making corporate Disney's life better. Not yours. Do that with whatever money you have left.

arstechnica.com...

Disney CEO asks employees to chip in to pay copyright lobbyists

Disney scum.

I have a family member who did some work for Disney on one of their movies. took the jerks several months after wrapping to pay him at all.

I've also not heard good things from people who've worked with Disney.

Disney, the Walmart of the entertainment world...

a reply to: infolurker

Disney was evil from the start, though. The only thing about this that surprises me is how they are willing to make themselves look bad. Then again, that is nothing new either. Nothing seems to stick to them, ever.

a reply to: infolurker

From source:

Iger's compensation in the last fiscal year was $45 million (£32 million).

How about leading by example Iger - donate a third of your pay, then take a 10-15% pay cut, followed by punching yourself in the head, and finally, go work the rides for a week and reconnect with the employees that you under pay and over work.

Dick head...

a reply to: infolurker

That's what happens when a hugely successful company built under the direction of rightist hardcases gets taken over by lefties when the original owners pass on. It turns into a sinking ship run with folks who don't give a damn about the legacy they're wiping their pirate booties on. Much like Hollywood itself, we can watch it all crash down.

Fk Mickey that sellout!! and look what he did to Star Wars..

a reply to: infolurker

I loved The Wonderful World of Disney, which came on every Sunday night at 7pm in the 60s, early 70s.

When you have to take out a payday loan for a family of 4 to enjoy Disneyland...it's time to give up Walt's ghost.

They can go pound sand.

Funny commentary by the author, thank you for sharing!

On the one hand, totally agree it's a move in poor taste by Mr. Iger. By and large, people want to get honest pay for honest work, and the rest is just a distraction. If employees have to leave their politics at the door on the way in, then so should the bosses all the way up the chain.

On the other hand, got a similar letter from my employer 15 yrs ago. The only surprise here would be if this is the first such letter from corporate at Disney.

a reply to: infolurker

the systems been taken over by the Vulture Capitalists and the Corporate Welfare Lobbyists

Disney's "New" H-1B visa replacement employees will pay, or they get thrown under the bus too

originally posted by: Godhead
a reply to: infolurker

That's what happens when a hugely successful company built under the direction of rightist hardcases gets taken over by lefties when the original owners pass on. It turns into a sinking ship run with folks who don't give a damn about the legacy they're wiping their pirate booties on. Much like Hollywood itself, we can watch it all crash down.

Had to try to turn a good thread into a right/left thing? That is incredibly annoying.

originally posted by: NewzNose
a reply to: infolurker

I loved The Wonderful World of Disney, which came on every Sunday night at 7pm in the 60s, early 70s.

When you have to take out a payday loan for a family of 4 to enjoy Disneyland...it's time to give up Walt's ghost.

They can go pound sand.

That was our Sunday night routine that we all looked forward to so much. Mom made chocolate cake and we'd watch Old yeller or Toby Tyler, something always entertaining and even carrying a moral to the story line.

Iger's compensation in the last fiscal year was $45 million (£32 million).

I am sure they could outsource that job or bring in an immigrant CEO willing to do the same job for $1 Million.

Was it not Sun Tzu who said true victory is not annihilating your enemy, but making him fight for your side? Getting people to fund their own demise...

originally posted by: Britguy

Iger's compensation in the last fiscal year was $45 million (£32 million).

I am sure they could outsource that job or bring in an immigrant CEO willing to do the same job for $1 Million.

Not Possible
They need the best and brightest and top talent to run Disney.
Oh wait, if they have to get in bed with the evil government politicians then why do we need them?
"Disney says Government is the solution to their problems"

For everyone else, you are on your own in the market they have created for you with the help of their puppets

a reply to: LoneCloudHopper2

I agree. There always seemed to be something nefarious about the whole thing.

That didn't stop me from getting a season pass, so I guess I'm to blame as well, but I sure hope the employees that don't contribute aren't retaliated against.

I worked at Disney World for a Summer back in the '70s. It was no better then. Seems to have gotten worse.

originally posted by: Snarl
I worked at Disney World for a Summer back in the '70s. It was no better then. Seems to have gotten worse.

Time to muddy their name in the alternative (Not corporate) media on the internet
Big Business loves Freedom of $$Speech$$ to buy politicians but hate Freedom of Speech when it hits their pocket books
They will be crying for a Bail Out

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
I've also not heard good things from people who've worked with Disney.

Disney, the Walmart of the entertainment world...

One of my art teachers was a Disney animator back in the days when they hand drew each slide (he helped draw a couple major movies). He said it was basically a sweatshop, never commented on the pay though.