Reality TV writers sue Fox, show producer

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A group of writers has sued the Fox
television network and the producer of reality programs such as
“Trading Spouses,” claiming they violated labor laws by forcing
the writers to submit fake time cards, skip meals and work in
“sweatshop conditions.”

The suit, made public on Wednesday, is part of a broader
effort by the Writers Guild of America to organize writers in
the booming field of reality TV and follows a similar action
filed last month against four other networks and producers.

“Things have become so bad that these renegade employers
aren’t even complying with minimum standards,” Tony Segall, an
attorney for the writers, told Reuters.

The suit names eight plaintiffs and seeks class-action
status to represent all writers in the reality genre, he said.

Segall said as many as 1,000 reality writers had signed
cards seeking representation by the Writers Guild. He said
reality show writers had not organized primarily because the
genre was relatively new and many the producers were not a
party to union contracts.

Spokesmen for Fox and the producer, Rocket Science
Laboratories, declined to comment, citing company policy.

The suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and claims
Rocket Science, producer of seven series including “Joe
Millionaire” and “Renovate My Family,” forced the writers to
work more than 40 hours a week and turn in fake time cards,
then failed to pay overtime, thereby violating California labor
laws.

The suit also alleges Rocket Science did not provide
itemized wage statements and did not allow meal periods for the
employees, which also violated state regulations.

“I spent almost my entire waking time at work,” said
Zachary Isenberg, who wrote for “Renovate My Family” and claims
to have spent as much as 120 hours a week on the job.

“The conditions in this industry resemble sweatshops,” the
suit said.

Co-plaintiff Victoria Dew said her writing team spent long
hours crammed into a small loft with heat-generating computers
running constantly, skylights without shade from the sun and no
air conditioning.

The suit seeks unpaid wages, overtime premiums, interest
and punitive damages. Fox was named as a defendant because it
oversaw the shows and aired them on its network.

A dozen writers with the backing of the Writers Guild filed
a similar suit in July against CBS, ABC, the WB and TBS.

Fox is a unit of News Corp Ltd.. CBS is a unit of Viacom
Inc.. ABC is a unit of The Walt Disney Co.. TBS is part of Time
Warner Inc. and the WB is a venture of Time Warner of Tribune
Co..