Disney CEO Criticizes Actors and Writers' Strike: Adding Disruption to the World

Stay tuned for Hollywood news. Disney CEO Bob Iger, in an interview released a few hours before the official confirmation of the actors' union strike, described the demands of the actors and writers' unions as unrealistic and adding disruption to the world.

Iger told CNBC, 'The impact of the pandemic has not fully recovered, and the current state of union negotiations and possible strikes 'worries me a lot'. 'It's the worst timing to add disruption to the world. I understand that labor organizations want members to receive fair compensation based on their contributions. We have already negotiated a good contract with the Directors Guild of America to reflect the value directors contribute to this great industry. We wanted to do the same with the writers, and we wanted to do the same with the actors. But there is a certain level of expectation, and they are exacerbating the challenges this industry already faces.' 'They must realistically assess the industry environment and what this industry can offer... This will have a very harmful impact on the entire industry. Unfortunately, it has already caused significant collateral damage to support personnel in this industry—I can go on and on. Because of the scale of this industry, it will even affect the economy in different regions. It's really a pity.'

When asked if the unions' demands or performance were 'not very realistic', Iger said, 'Yes, they are not (very realistic).'