Robin Abcarian | Los Angeles Times
The allegations in the cheerleaders’ lawsuit are pretty straightforward: When it comes to working conditions for the Raiderettes, the Oakland Raiders routinely break California labor law.
The women, who are professional dancers, earn less than minimum wage and are paid at the end of the season instead of every two weeks as required by California law. They earn $125 per game and are not paid for practices or meetings. They can be fined for being late to practice, or for not having the right hair color or for failing to appropriately polish their nails. They are required to make unpaid appearances on behalf of the team.
The cheerleading squad, in short, operates under a paternalistic set of rules that not only infantilizes grown women, but also makes demands that no employer should have the right to make.
But will the cheerleaders ever get their day in court?
Not if the Raiders can help it.
