Florida governor threatens to retaliate against Disney over ‘don’t say gay’ law – live | US news

Labor organizers say they see hope in the early results from unionization votes among Amazon workers in New York and Alabama.

In Staten Island, New York, 1,518 warehouse workers have so far voted yes to form a union while 1,154 have voted no, according to a Thursday evening tally by the national labor relations board, which is overseeing both elections. Ballots will continue to be counted on Friday.

Meanwhile, Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, appear to have rejected a union bid, but outstanding challenged ballots could change the outcome. The votes were 993-to-875 against the union.

Organizers have faced an uphill battle against the nation’s second-largest private employer. Amazon workers voting yes in either election would mark the first successful US organizing effort in the company’s history.

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Florida’s tetchy Republican governor Ron DeSantis is threatening retaliation against the state’s largest private employer Disney after it pledged to work to overturn the state’s controversial new “don’t say gay” law banning gender identity discussions in schools.

DeSantis has received massive blowback, and mockery, over the law that critics say marginalizes the LGBTQ+ community, including a hard-hitting statement from the theme park giant supporting groups seeking its repeal.

In return, DeSantis says Disney “crossed a line” and is now threatening to strip the company of the self-governing status it has enjoyed for almost 50 years, and which has allowed it to expand operations across central Florida almost unchecked.

“Disney has alienated a lot of people now,” DeSantis said at the West Palm Beach press conference, reported Friday by CNN.

“And so the political influence they’re used to wielding, I think has dissipated. And so the question is, why would you want to have special privileges in the law at all? And I don’t think that we should.”

His comments followed a tweet earlier this week by Republican state congressman Spencer Roach saying discussions were under way to revoke the 1967 Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which gave Disney autonomy over its own affairs.

As for Disney, which employs about 80,000 “cast members” in Florida, its opposition reflects something of a reversal after it initially refused to condemn the bill. Some Disney workers in California and Florida walked out in protest.

Equality advocates point to DeSantis’s history of perceived opposition to the transgender community, and on Thursday filed a lawsuit challenging the law.

Read more about the Florida law here:

Good morning everyone. We’ve made it to Friday, but a busy week in US politics isn’t over just yet and we’ve got lots to look at in today’s live blog. In Florida, the Republican governor Ron DeSantis is threatening retaliation over Disney, the state’s largest private employer, for its opposition to the so-called “don’t say gay law” banning gender identity discussions in schools.

And on Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives It turns its attention to the legalization of marijuana after narrowly voting on Thursday to limit the price of insulin.

A reminder that you can follow developments in the Russia-Ukraine war on our main news blog here.

Here’s what else we’re watching in the US today:

• The 6 January inquiry continues its work in the House after lengthy questioning on Thursday for Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
• Joe Biden is scheduled to speak later this morning about the latest jobs figures, and possibly other topics if he chooses to take questions.
• Close unionization votes by Amazon workers in New York and Alabama are nearing their conclusion, with early results trickling through.
• White House communications director Kate Bedingfield will host her final press briefing of the week at 2.30pm.