Disney World is now embroiled in a dispute with the state of Florida over some local "gay" legislation. This post is NOT about that dispute, but the fact that Disney World was given the legal authority of a county. The park has special tax laws, and can enact laws, just like any other county in Florida. Yeah, Disney World is a huge money maker for the state, but do you think a theme park should have the same legal authority as a Florida county?
Again, this thread is NOT about the gay act Disney World is a "private enterprise". So, why do they have the same legal authority as Dade County?
Florida Threatens to Revoke Disney’s Self-Governing Authority Over LGBTQ Bill Feud… Wait, Hang on, Disney’s What Now? (msn.com)
Disney has been a horrible company and for a very very very long time. Long history of treating its employees terribly. One of the only issues they were good at was treating the gay community well.
My cousin was a musician. Played a Disney cruise. They treated him so badly, he resigned, mid cruise. The captain literally locked him in his cabin, as if he was a criminal, merely for quitting a job from an abusive boss. Endless stories. I bet if you Google Disney as a horrible employer, many websites will come up.
Government in general, whether federal, state of local, has given over way too much authority to businesses. Government is supposed to be a check on businesses. Businesses are not supposed to usurp the role of government. It makes money the final decision maker in the affairs of people. Whatever makes the most money for a business, becomes the law. The government is supposed to guarantee that whatever serves society and is fair, becomes the law. Not what makes Disney or some other company, the most money.
I know of another Disney as horrible example. There was a labor issue. Disney was making their brand of kids pajamas in Haiti. Paying the workers HORRIBLE wages. I think, if I remember correctly (this was the 90s), that Disney was paying them 40 cents per hour! And they were only asking for a raise to 55 cents per hour! And I remember the costs involved. It was something like paying them the extra money would force Disney to raise the price of a $20 clothing item, by either 5 or 10 cents. And they were entirely unwilling to do even that.
And that is why you need government. First of all...to compel Disney and all US corporations, to not allow them to pay slave wages in foreign countries, if they want to do business in America. Some basic standards of decency. Not some free for all, to make as much money as possible and to heck with the consequences.
And note that it is across the board. So, it is not just low wages, but unsafe and unhealthy workplaces, where people get sick and injured. Real human cost. Even in the US, Amazon had warehouses without air conditioning and ground floor temperatures in some Southern warehouses were over 110 degrees!!! This is America. People are not supposed to be forced to work in 110 degree heat.
