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Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Monday called on Disney to share its Avengers: Endgame profits among the workers who labored to make the film an instant success.
The final saga of the Marvel superhero franchise raked in $1.2 billion since opening on Friday, shattering all previous opening weekend records. Sanders also took aim at Disney CEO Bob Iger's astronomical salary.
"What would be truly heroic is if Disney used its profits from Avengers to pay all of its workers a middle class wage," Sanders wrote on Twitter, "instead of paying its CEO Bob Iger $65.6 million – over 1,400 times as much as the average worker at Disney makes."
What would be truly heroic is if Disney used its profits from Avengers to pay all of its workers a middle class wag… https://t.co/W39OoRbNjv— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1556567118.0
Sanders' philosophy that all workers deserve a decent living wage amplifies the importance of tackling income inequality is a hallmark issue of the 2020 presidential race.
Bernie has done the exact opposite, supporting Union Strikes, advocating for SS expansion including more money, Adv… https://t.co/leat1HX5Z2— Pepper Oceanna Lewis #JusticeWarrior (@Pepper Oceanna Lewis #JusticeWarrior) 1556401976.0
@SenSanders It a disgrace that we the people have become complacent with our surroundings. The establishment knew e… https://t.co/FW5FcAbbw0— Gabriel (@Gabriel) 1556625911.0
@SenSanders @johncusack Yes! Thank you! 💯— Pam (@Pam) 1556591202.0
@SenSanders True avenging.— beard in progress (@beard in progress) 1556571529.0
@SenSanders Yes!— Brent Says Biji Rojava ✊🏽🌹 (@Brent Says Biji Rojava ✊🏽🌹) 1556567391.0
@SenSanders This tweet is going to make some centrists mad— Bennie Kingfish (@Bennie Kingfish) 1556567217.0
@SenSanders @BobIgerCEO HOARDERS are sick. They need to WAKE UP and realize they can’t spend all that money in many… https://t.co/ZneRaElju8— brandresults (@brandresults) 1556570116.0
But not everyone agreed, and an intense debate bloomed on social media over how to balance fair pay with the economic realities of the free market.
@SenSanders You seem to not understand how the markets work, more specifically how supply and demand in regard to a… https://t.co/ID0FxbYoeA— U’Ark Econ Nerd (@U’Ark Econ Nerd) 1556568462.0
@SenSanders Iger truly is underpaid, hopefully his stock options make up for it.— David Zamula (@David Zamula) 1556572062.0
@SenSanders Yeah, that’s how the market works— Garner Remling 🇺🇸 (@Garner Remling 🇺🇸) 1556590744.0
@SenSanders Hey, everybody. Profits are GOOD. Profits can be recycled into research and development and innovation… https://t.co/kEYeGfB5n1— PK (@PK) 1556585063.0
Sanders is not the first to call out Disney's pay disparity.
@SenSanders Didn't the Disney heir tear the company a new one regarding the CEOs salary recently?— Galen Decker (@Galen Decker) 1556581628.0
@SenSanders Yes, yes, yes. A thought that has probably never occurred to them. Abigail Disney is appalled by the gr… https://t.co/GrUeTodAuy— Kit Votes Progressive (@Kit Votes Progressive) 1556567337.0
Iger recently came under fire from Abigail Disney, heiress to the company's namesake, who tweeted last week that Iger's "pay ratio" of "over a thousand is insane."
Let me very clear. I like Bob Iger. I do NOT speak for my family but only for myself. Other than owning shares (not… https://t.co/JmSbyQu8My— Abigail Disney (@Abigail Disney) 1555860287.0
Workers "deserve the dignity of a living wage," Disney said, "Should there really be a permanent underclass of desperately poor people who clean up the messes we make?"
They deserve the dignity of a living wage. Should there really be a permanent underclass of desperately poor people… https://t.co/9Q755Z6zsb— Abigail Disney (@Abigail Disney) 1555860293.0
"A full time worker—at any job— should be able to afford medicine food housing transportation child care and education," Disney insisted. "At a minimum! Do not insult them by implying they are not trying hard enough. If you need beds changed and towels washed, and you are unwilling to do so yourself."
A full time worker—at any job— should be able to afford medicine food housing transportation child care and educati… https://t.co/OQcgM44Ak7— Abigail Disney (@Abigail Disney) 1555860294.0
Well said.