FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is a major American production company that produces the highest-rated program on television, American Idol, as well as other network primetime programs including Million Dollar Password for CBS, Farmer Wants a Wife for the CW and America’s Got Talent for NBC. In 2007, Fremantle produced more than 1,000 hours of television in the United States. American Idol is FMNA’s ratings’ giant, and because of it, FMNA is the biggest profit contributor to its parent, FremantleMedia, Ltd.
While Fremantle profits from Idol and other shows it produces, the writers and other workers who make these shows successful do not. Workers on Fremantle shows have reported serious workplace issues such as the withholding of overtime pay and failure to provide meal or rest breaks. Many Fremantle workers do not receive benefits that are considered standard in the entertainment industry, including minimum compensation, health insurance and retirement benefits. In April 2008, eight former employees of Fremantle, the majority from American Idol, filed more than $250,000 in wage and hour claims with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement alleging failure to pay legally-mandated overtime. Some employees reported working as much as 15-20 hour days, 7 days a week.
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Tell Fremantle to respect its workers.