Bob Igor is Disney’s CEO. He was CEO for fifteen years before stepping down in late 2021, then he returned as CEO in November 2022. Iger’s reclaiming of the CEO’s desk came with a $15 million pay package, with bonus targets for up to $27 million for just 2023. Iger’s return was supposed to be a temporary thing, a bridge to help Disney find a more modern (and younger) CEO. Instead, just a few days ago, Disney announced that Iger was staying on until 2026, presumably under a comparable salary and compensation package which would see him making (again) around $27 million a year (probably much more). Disney has also laid off thousands of employees in recent months. Well, wouldn’t you know, Bob Iger has some thoughts on the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
During an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday morning, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the writers and actors unions going on strike in Hollywood are not being “realistic” with their expectations. Speaking to CNBC’s David Faber from the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, Iger commented on the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike and imminent decision for SAG-AFTRA to join them.
“It’s very disturbing to me. We’ve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges we’re facing, the recovery from COVID which is ongoing, it’s not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption,” Iger said. “I understand any labor organization’s desire to work on behalf of its members to get the most compensation and be compensated fairly based on the value that they deliver. We managed, as an industry, to negotiate a very good deal with the directors guild that reflects the value that the directors contribute to this great business. We wanted to do the same thing with the writers, and we’d like to do the same thing with the actors. There’s a level of expectation that they have, that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive.”
Iger said that while he respects the right of the unions to “get as much as they possibly can in compensation for their people,” they must “be realistic about the business environment, and what this business can deliver.”
Iger continued, “It will have a very, very damaging affect on the whole business, and unfortunately, there’s huge collateral damage in the industry to people who are supportive services, and I could go on and on. It will affect the economy of different regions, even, because of the sheer size of the business. It’s a shame, it is really a shame.”
I do think that the strikes will damage the film and television industry and there will be a ripple effect of global disruptions to business-as-usual for these corporations…and that’s the f–king point. Strikes are not meant to be convenient or timed around what’s best for a business model which exploits workers. Basically, this is a CEO raking in an eight-figure annual salary, blaming working actors and writers for wanting to be fairly compensated for their work. Period. Considering the way Disney openly screws over their talent – Scarlett Johansson had to sue Disney for breach of contract AND THEY PUBLICLY SMEARED HER – Bob Iger needs to shut his f–king mouth about all of this.
Disney CEO Bob Iger, who makes $27 million a year, went to TV to say that writers and actors aren't being realistic with their demands.
When asked why these workers are being unrealistic he says, "I can't, I can't answer that." pic.twitter.com/mOhhqjcDOA
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) July 13, 2023
The fact that Bob Iger gave an anti-labor interview while he is reportedly having a 2nd yacht constructed to replace his 184 foot super yacht might be the most on brand CEO shit of the year.
— C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) July 13, 2023
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 06: Chairperson of Disney Bob Iger (Robert Iger) arrives at the 10th Annual LACMA Art + Film Gala 2021 held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 6, 2021 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 642002001, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Bob Iger, Robert Iger, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- Bob Iger – Executive Chairman of Walt Disney Company attend the World Premiere of ‘The King’s Man’ at Cineworld, Leicester Square, London, England, UK on Monday 6 December, 2021.,Image: 646691320, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/LFI/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Bob Iger arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, 13 February 2023.,Image: 756003773, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved. 310-247-3000., Model Release: no, Credit line: PAP / Avalon
Well Bob if it is such a disruptive problem then how about you give up some of your millions to their cause and end it. If you are not willing to do that then shut up.
Right?? I don’t know how accurate it is, but I read online yesterday (can’t remember where) that he earns more in one day than what the average writer earns in a year: $74K vs $69K. And he’s whining, I mean….STFU indeed.
To add, Iger makes $75k PER DAY.
This makes me sick. I’m glad he’s being called out on it.
It is unrealistic for this hobbit to think he is worth $43M a year. For his “labor”. Hope all his boats sink.
Exactly, none of the big CEOs of the few companies that run everything are actually worth what they get paid. Jeff Bezos has said that he doesn’t start working until like 10am or something and only takes two meetings or calls a day and is done before five, I mean come the eff on. He sure hasn’t been working this summer as he sails his insanely giant yacht all over Europe. They make all of their money off of the backs of the workers/labor and will exploit it for as much and as long as they can. This guy was saying this from Sun Valley at a retreat for all of the most wealthy CEOs in the country, are you effing kidding me. This is capitalism and capitalism is cannibalism.
I hate him.
Such a terrible take, if not unexpected. He literally has no idea. Go back to punishing DeSantis, he deserves it.
At least he wears an actual bowtie, not a clip-on like Pitt.
Corporate victim blaming. Corporate gaslighting. The mutterings of a greedy, narcissistic rich old white man sociopath.
Bob?….Bob?…Hello, Bob?…Yeah, hi. Please stop talking and take a seat until we need to you to bitch slap Ron DeSantis. Thanks.
He can get the other CEOs together and agree to writers and actors’ demands.
Way to tank all the goodwill Disney earned fighting Desantis.
His job, tho, is to play the game & he’s the most publicly well known. Any negotiation like this — legislative, public/private — has a fair amount of theatre & rhetoric that has to happen — the union for its members, and business for shareholders/Wall St. The reality of what is frankly is obscured by both sides; those back room negotiations are the real truth. Media can suss out best what is & isn’t. But the actors – I mean here the policy actors – all have to play their parts before the game can be played. I’ll be reading industry pubs to see what’s up & not sound bites meant to protect & annoy .
No one is getting anywhere unless everyone plays their parts incl his bellyaching over disruptions – which just reinforces labor’s points. I never understand the powerful responding – all that does is show & bolster the strength of the opposite side’s maneuver (filibuster, strike, leveraging a perfectly fair rule the powerful set them gets bit in the a$$ by …)
You’ll be reading the industry publications that are owned by the same conglomerates that are part of the AMPTP? Yeah, those sound like completely objective sources. Good job!
We know. But the system he works for is disgusting and he is disgusting in it.
Deflecting, obfuscating, gaslighting sociopath. This is your legacy, Bob Iger. You shouldn’t have unreturned. You should’ve just sat there and ate your food.
And the DGA sold itself out, with its leadership too stupid to really understand the threat of AI. Now they’re looking like cowards and numbskulls.
Typical Boss. Uncaring and will hold the company line to the death in order to make even more money for himself.
Go soak your head.
Bob needs to be fired. He’s the problem. Straight up. He represents everything that Fran was talking about. Across all industries CEOs are paid thousands of times more than the workers that make their salaries possible and all they care about are the shareholders and their own paychecks.
It’s supposed to be disruptive, duh. That’s how they’re going to get a better deal! A deal they deserve. People like Iger make tens or hundreds of millions off the labor, creativity, and talent of those people on strike right now. PAY THEM what they deserve, and there’s no problem.
Those greedy bosses are simply parasites.
Between this and the deadline article, they are not making themselves look good. And then you’ve got the Nanny on the other side. Court of public opinion will not side with them.
My descent into socialism is picking up velocity every day. And this is coming someone from someone who went to business school lol
Well Bob, get ready to be the writer and the actor if you want to get something going and earn your obscene salary. Let’s see how well you do! What a massive jerk.
Shut up, Bob. Just S-H-U-T U-P.
We need to stop with this narrative of “the arts don’t matter.” Oh yeah, they matter. When I get off work, nothing picks me back up like a good song, TV show, or movie. They matter. We’re going to miss them.
It’s easy to say, “Oh, they make so much money, who cares?” OK, who is “they?” Don’t sit there and pay people less than what their contribution is worth. This is getting ugly, and I’m here for it. Yeah, you can definitely look at celebrities and say, “Oh, they make more than I ever will” but there’s so many people behind the scenes, doing a lot of the legwork to prop celebrities up, and they’re not being heard.
Capitalism, supply and demand – remember how much Republicans LOVE that? Well, entertainment is a HUGE demand. So pay them what they’re worth or gtfooh and cry.
Exactly. I am so bummed out about this strike. I’m recovering from an injury and have limited mobility and have relied on audio book, movies, series. I don’t hear that much complaining about how much sports players (male) make.
This is just going to lead to more stupid reality TV.
Disney also just a few days ago effed up Disneyland Paris annual passholders by pulling almost all passholder perks with zero notice and replacing the passes with 60% more expensive ones with no perks.
I hope Fran wins. #UNION.