The Walt Disney Company is facing an impending lawsuit from 9,000 women who allege the company engaged in widespread gender-based pay discrimination. And no, that number is not a typo.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge rejected Disney’s attempt to have the complain tossed on Friday, allowing the proposed class action suit to proceed, according to a Variety report.
The suit would be the largest ever certified under California’s Equal Pay Act, which makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees based on their gender.
“Disney has been gaslighting these women for four years,” Lori Andrus, the plaintiffs’ attorney, reportedly said following the ruling. “They love their jobs. They love the brand. But they want to be respected and treated the way they should be in the workplace.”
A demonstrator holds a placard reading ‘Can we replace Bob Iger with AI?’ as members of the entertainment trade union Equity and supporters stage a rally in Leicester Square in solidarity with striking US actors in London, United Kingdom on July 21, 2023(Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty)
The suit alleges Disney paid women less than their male counterparts across a wide swath of thee company as far back as 2015. Plaintiffs include workers in Disney parks, hotels, cruises, as well as the movies and TV divisions — including Marvel and Lucasfilm.
Disney reportedly denied the accusations, claiming the plaintiffs’ comparisons of salaries are inaccurate because they reflect the decisions of thousands of managers and not a centralized policy.
It remains unclear how such a massive class action suit will proceed. The next scheduled step is a status meeting set for February.
In recent years, Disney has championed itself as a force for inclusivity, diversity, and other left-wing so-called virtues. The company’s embrace of woke social justice activism has alienated loyal customers, resulting in an unprecedented financial crisis for the company that recently resulted in the layoff of 7000 employees.
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