LA County AFL-CIO Council Targets 'Biggest Loser'

4:22 PM PST 11/15/2010 by Jonathan Handel

Comments

Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, plans to endorse the IATSE strike, now in its second week.

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, will hold an emergency meeting Tuesday to sanction the strike by IATSE and the crew of NBC’s The Biggest Loser.

•Labor

The strikers are seeking a union contract in order to secure pension and health benefits. The production entities, Reveille Prods., 25/7 Prods. and 3 Ball Prods. have refused to sign a contract with IATSE.

In a statement, Maria Elena Durazo, the leader of the federation, said “Entertainment is one of the preeminent industries in Los Angeles and it generates the kind of middle class jobs we so desperately need.” She added, “The producers of this show want to make their own workers ‘the biggest losers’ and the labor movement in LA is not going to let that happen.”

The federation will hold a news conference Tuesday featuring striking crew members from the show joined by unions representing teachers, hotel workers, carwash workers, truck drivers, construction workers, longshoreman, nurses, bus drivers and others.