“I have already expressed my hope that the Disney organization continues to give reasonable compensation and support to its many loyal employees in the spirit of the company of which my grandfather was so proud,” he told the Daily Beast. He added that it’s the “right thing to do during these difficult times.”
Lund is currently embroiled in a decade-long legal battle over his inheritance with trustees of his mother’s estate.
A spokesperson for The Walt Disney Company said in a statement that furloughs were not a decision it “made lightly and was one of myriad actions taken to help the company weather the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The company said there was “no truth to any speculation about bonus payments” and that it’s “premature and irresponsible to speculate about bonus compensation—especially in May.”
Lund is the second high-profile person connected with the Disney family to publicly slam the entertainment company over its treatment of workers. Abigail Disney, the granddaughter of Walt Disney’s brother, Roy Disney, responded to news of the company’s furloughs in April, tweeting: “WHAT THE ACTUAL F***?????”
The Walt Disney Co. announced in April it was furloughing employees “whose jobs aren’t necessary at this time.” The coronavirus pandemic has forced a major pillar of Disney’s businesses to suspend operations, including its parks, resorts and entertainment productions. More than 75% of the company’s 223,000 employees work for the Parks and Products division.