The Oompa Loompa workers of the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory have filed a class action suit against their employer, the Wonka corporation. The Loompas allege a host of disability and labor violations, claiming requests for reasonable accommodations are ignored, harassing behavior is common, pay is discriminatory, and the factory is wildly out of code with accessibility mandates laid forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
While other employees are paid in union-negotiated wages, the Loompas – whose physical characteristics and immigration status from Loompaland make it difficult for them to find work – are paid in a discriminatory sub-minimum wage, making just $2.50 an hour. They are otherwise paid in food and cocoa beans. The Loompas further claim they are forced to do a “little person’s song and dance” for the entertainment of factory guests, which they say is exploitative and not necessary for their jobs, and that they have been retaliated against for objecting to this practice. A representative from the Wonka Corp denied all accusations, calling them baseless and unsubstantiated.
This is not the first time Wonka has received a major disability lawsuit. Last year, patrons of the Chocolate Factory sued for wrongful death for reasons rooted in the inaccessibility of the factory’s perilous tour. There are no handrails along the walkways of the Chocolate River and Chocolate Waterfall, which has led to multiple disappearances of disabled children who fell into the river. Others have been left in critical condition when tasting one of the many edible features of the factory, under the false auspices of the quality of the material tasted. The Wonka Corp is nearing a settlement with the families of missing children and is believed to be pursuing arbitration with the Loompas.
And it’s neither here nor there, but the Golden Geese only lay bad eggs in the presence of disabled children, leading to further suspicions of a deep-seated culture of ableism in the factory.