$35M lawsuit hits reality TV company over alleged unpaid wages

The enterprise has worked on sequence like The Wonderful Race Canada, Massive Brother Canada and CBC original series Fight of the Blades.

Media union CWA/SCA Canada suggests it and fellow union IATSE assist the match, which is in search of damages on behalf of impartial contractors and present-day and former workers.

The match claims Insight owes hundreds of employees unpaid additional time, family vacation pay back, and vacation premiums for the reason that of contracts that did not comply with Ontario’s Work Standards Act. The allegations have not been verified in court.

Insight Productions suggests the proceedings initiated from it are “with no advantage” and the enterprise will “vigorously defend” by itself from the allegations.

“Insight is immensely happy of the men and women who function with us to generate some of the most popular tv displays in Canada,” John Brunton, CEO and government producer of Insight Productions, mentioned Monday in a statement.

“We strive to be a leader in our industry in every way. This contains attracting major talent to our productions by featuring excellent payment, safe and honest performing problems, and chances for mentorship and job advancement.

“We are self-assured that the pros that function with us feel valued, revered and quite compensated. Insight prides by itself on its optimistic workplace tradition, which we believe is a fundamental purpose we are ready to attract and retain the very finest talent to our productions yr soon after yr.”

Second new actuality Television set lawsuit

This is the next course-action lawsuit from a Toronto-dependent actuality Television set creation enterprise in the previous yr and a 50 %.

In October 2018, a comparable match was submitted from Cineflix Productions, which is behind Property Brothers and dozens of other Television set plans.

That match is continue to in advance of the courts and is claimed on behalf of contract creation staff.

It claims Cineflix and its affiliate marketers violated the Ontario Work Standards Act and seeks payment for all previous, current and future staff in certain task classifications as far back as 2000. The allegations have not been verified in court.

“Cineflix has shown a reliable heritage of moral benchmarks and respect for the creative neighborhood for around twenty years,” spokeswoman Vanessa Marra mentioned at the time the match was introduced. “Cineflix will be vigorously contesting this assert.”

A attorney at Cavalluzzo mentioned soon after the Cineflix lawsuit was submitted, the firm read “comparable issues about Insight.”

“We read about very extended workdays, 6- and seven-working day workweeks with no additional time, and no extra pay back for holiday seasons,” Sean Fitzpatrick mentioned in a statement. “We are putting the actuality/factual Television set industry on see that it can no lengthier deny employees their primary work legal rights.”