'Fashion Police' Writers Go On Strike

 by  Todd Cunningham 

 LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Nine writers on E! Entertainment's "Fashion Police" have been on strike. The writers demanded the network to acknowledge the Writers Guild of America West (WGA) as a bargaining representative. The network declared that the National Labor Relations (NLRB) Board election must initially be held. Writers have commenced the strike starting a picket rally in front of E! Headquarters since April 17th. The network stated that an NLRB administered election is a fair and important part of the process." E! has also taken initiative for the writers behalf in filing a petition with NLRB to expedite the process. E! released statements that they are not "anti-WGA" and noted that other productions, "The Soup" and Chelsea Lately also employ WGA workers that were participating in the NLRB elections. Writers filed a $1.5 million suit with the California Division of Labor Standard Enforcement for wage and hour claims, to seek payments for overtime and underpaid hours against E! and "Fashion Police" host Joan Rivers' production Rugby Productions. As the strike continues, WGA has emergency loans for members that are on strike and financing legal aid. As the meeting for the claims were cancelled due to a break the impasse decision, hearings will proceed for the writers settlement.