As a strike by Sag-Aftra appears imminent without a contract, the Disney chief executive, Bob Iger, has said writers and actors preparing to picket are not being “realistic” with their expectations, and that the threat of a strike is “disturbing”.
In an appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Thursday morning, Iger said the decision by the actors’ and writers’ unions to go on strike was “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.”
Speaking to CNBC’s David Faber from the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, the 72-year-old 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 spoke hours after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) recommended strike action after a midnight deadline for negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) passed without a contract.
The national board will decide on Thursday morning, as the industry braces for the first simultaneous strike by Hollywood writers and actors in 60 years.
The Sag-Aftra president, Fran Drescher, said in a statement: “The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics, and on others completely stonewalled us. Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal. We have no choice but to move forward in unity, and on behalf of our membership, with a strike recommendation to our national board.
“The board will discuss the issue this morning and will make its decision.”
The strike would have an immediate impact on publicity efforts for the summer’s top films. Disney had previously announced that a Saturday premiere of its movie Haunted Mansion will take place at Disneyland regardless of the strikes, though the film’s actors will not be present.
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”.
He added: “It will have a very, very damaging effect 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.”
His comments come a day after it was announced that he would remain chief executive of Disney through 2026, instead of stepping down at the end of next year as originally planned.
In the same interview, Iger also responded to campaign attacks by the Republican candidate and Florida governor Ron DeSantis, particularly his accusation that Disney is in favor of “sexualizing our children”.
Iger said: “We are a pre-eminent entertainer in the world, and we are proud of our track record there. The notion that Disney is in any way sexualizing our children quite frankly is preposterous and inaccurate.”
Disney sued DeSantis in April, claiming that the governor’s decision to strip the company of control of the special district containing its signature theme park was retaliation for its opposition to Florida’s “don’t say gay” bill, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
