2nd Raiderette Joins Lawsuit Over Pay
OAKLAND (CBS SF) - A second member of the Oakland Raiderettes cheer-leading squad has joined a class action lawsuit against the football team.
The original suit was filed in Alameda County Superior Court last week. It claims the team was in "flagrant violation" of an array of state labor laws, including failing to pay the minimum wage.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a second cheerleader - Sarah G. - came forward when she heard about the original lawsuit.
"I thought the contract was a little funny, but I had no idea that it was in fact illegal," Sarah told the Chronicle.
The original Raiderette, identified in the lawsuit as Lacy T., claims the Oakland Raiders club doesn't pay the cheerleaders for all the time they spend working, withholds pay until the end of the season, and forces them to pay some of their own business expenses.
The club also allegedly fails to pay overtime, doesn't provide meal and rest breaks, and deducts "fines" of $10 or more from the women's pay of $125 per game for infractions such as forgetting to bring the correct pom-poms to rehearsals, according to the lawsuit. Sarah G. told the Chronicle she was subjected to fines for lateness and failing to hand in paperwork on time.
The Raiders have not commented on the lawsuit.
