"How World War II Changed Walt Disney" Topic

"When the Great Depression ended in 1939, millions of American workers, having endured years of unemployment, began demanding job security and a stake in the new prosperity, leading to a radicalism that influenced labor relations—not least in the movie business.

By 1940, Hollywood's Screen Cartoonists Guild had unionized the town's major animation departments except Disney's, despite the fact that the Mouse House employed the vast majority of the industry's artists.

There was little consistency in Disney studio salaries or perks. The most valued animators were allowed entrance to the so-called Penthouse Club, which included a steam room and a gym featuring a trainer who had competed on the Swiss Olympic team. But "lesser" artists often couldn't afford to eat in the cafeteria. To make matters worse, the Disney organization reluctantly went public in 1940, selling stock to meet its mounting losses…."
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