Sen. Bernie Sanders, I–Vt., on Thursday challenged the bosses of four American companies to come Washington, D.C., to face their employees in a livestreamed town hall on July 16, during which they would be prompted to justify how much they are paid.
“I really hope [the CEOs] have the guts to sit on a panel with their own employees and explain why it’s acceptable that they receive huge compensation packages while their very own workers are struggling to put food on the table,” Sanders said in an interview Wednesday, according to CNN. “I hope they have the courage to do so. The invitation is sincere.”
Sanders sent letters of invitation to Amazon CEO and owner of the Washington Post Jeff Bezos, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook, and Disney’s CEO Bob Iger.
“My staff and I have spoken with Disney workers who are hungry, homeless, or struggling to make ends meet,” Sanders wrote in his invitation to Iger. He quoted a worker who said they don’t have enough money to eat three meals a day, noting that the only food that is affordable is tuna, celery sticks, and carrots.
Although the livestreamed town hall will include employee testimonials and it is yet to be determined whether the CEOs will agree to appear at the event with Sanders, who feel these bosses make too much money, and their employees, who feel they are underpaid.
“It is beyond belief that a company like Disney, when they made $9 billion in profits last year, that you have working people there, who walk around and they’re in Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse costumes, or serve food, who literally don’t have enough money to pay their rent,” Sanders said Wednesday.
