LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Two weeks after filing labor complaints alleging they haven’t been paid for both regular and overtime hours, writers for the E! Network’s “Fashion Police” went on strike today.
Officials with the Writers Guild of America said producers of the show — which features Joan and Melissa Rivers — have not signed a contract with the union.
In a joint statement, WGA West President Chris Keyser and WGA East President Michael Winship said the lack of a union contract denies the writers “basic guarantees that are the right of all writers.”
“Fashion Police” writer Ned Rice said the scribes want the show to become a “guild show.”
“The ball is clearly in E! and Rugby (Productions’) court right now and we’re ready to go back to work on ‘Fashion Police’ just as soon as they sign a WGA contract,” Rice said.
Officials with E! could not be reached for immediate comment.
Earlier this month, the network issued a statement saying the network “values our ‘Fashion Police’ writers and we pay them fairly and in full legal compliance.”
“Fashion Police” writers filed claims earlier this month with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, alleging the cable network violated state labor laws by not paying them for all the regular and overtime hours they worked.
The writers allege they are owed more than $1 million.
They contend “Fashion Police” ignores California laws that require an employer to pay hourly employees their regular wage rate for all time worked in an eight-hour period. In addition, the law requires paying overtime for employment beyond eight hours in any workday or more than 40 hours in any work
week.
