[Mb-civic] CBC Arts - HOLLYWOOD LAWSUIT ALLEGES REALITY TV SWEATSHOP CONDITIONS

[CBC Arts]

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HOLLYWOOD LAWSUIT ALLEGES REALITY TV SWEATSHOP CONDITIONS
WebPosted Fri Jul  8 11:16:32 2005

---A dozen Hollywood writers have filed a lawsuit against producers of TV
reality shows and several major networks alleging they were forced to
work under sweatshop conditions.

The suit, filed Thursday, accuses the companies of violating labour laws
with writers working 80-hour weeks without overtime pay, breaks or meal
periods required by California law.

The writers are demanding unpaid wages and overtime, civil penalties and
punitive damages.

"What we're responding to is conditions that outrage the conscience,"
said Daniel Petrie Jr., head of the western chapter of the Writers Guild
of America, which helped the writers file the lawsuit.

Petrie warned the guild would be prepared to file more suits if the
producers don't agree to talks.

The guild sent letters last month to reality TV production companies
demanding they provide benefits and union wages to their writers.

Reality shows hire writers to help shape story lines. Writers are
required to comb through hundreds of hours of footage to shape stories
from beginning to end.

The lawsuit, which seeks certification as a class action, was filed on
behalf of 12 writers against several companies and networks including:

Telepictures Productions, which produces The Bachelor Syndicated
Productions, which produces Are You Hot? Dawn Syndicated Productions,
which produces The Real Gilligan's Island ABC, CBS, Warner Brothers and
Turner Broadcasting System

The lawsuit alleges the productions followed almost identical practices
such as requiring writers to submit falsified time cards that didn't
reflect the actual hours they worked.

The production companies or networks have refused to comment on
the issue.

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