https://www.google.com/amp/www.nyda...er-goodell-20180604-story.html?outputType=amp
A squad of fed-up ex-cheerleaders rushed NFL headquarters Monday to demand changes to the league’s “inhumane” treatment of them.
Four former Houston Texans cheerleaders who filed a lawsuit against their old team last week delivered a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in Manhattan, asking for better pay and an end to the “egregious” exploitation of cheerleaders by “greedy team owners.”
The letter expressed outrage that many cheerleaders are paid only minimum wage – sometimes only $7.25 an hour – and are required to show up at dozens of non-game events and in luxury suites for appearances that generate “substantial” revenues that are not shared.
“It is time for the NFL to remedy inequities and force NFL teams to stop exploiting women. If not, you and the NFL can expect a backlash the likes of which will show the NFL what women’s power is all about,” the letter said.
“Please inform me as to what steps you plan to take to demonstrate leadership to remedy the sex discrimination in pay and working conditions for NFL cheerleaders. We look forward to receiving your response in writing within one week from today,” the letter, signed by the women’s lawyer Gloria Allred, said.
A security guard collected the letter from Allred to deliver to Goodell. The famous lawyer darkly joked the NFL had provided more security for this presser than it had in the past for its cheerleaders.
“We hope that by delivering this letter to Roger Goodell today, he takes this seriously and understands that we just want to be respected and treated fairly,” plaintiff and former cheerleader Kelly Neuner said. “And compensated properly for the work that we do.”
Co-counsel Kim Spurlock said the women were initially afraid to come forward.
“I’m here today...to bring light to a systemic issue of these women being bullied and harassed to the point that they are in fear,” she said. “And they’re in fear of speaking up. But today, that ends — today these brave women are here, they’re speaking up, they’re speaking out.”
Allred, who held up a t-shirt reading “$7.25,” said the cheerleaders work hard, love the NFL and deserve “a little love coming back to them.”
In the complaint filed last week, the cheerleaders, joined by a fifth former squad member, highlighted their rock-bottom pay and said they often were subjected to unsafe and hostile work environments.
“We were harassed, bullied and body-shamed for $7.25 an hour,” ex-cheerleader Ainsley Parish said at a news conference with Allred last week.
“I and my fellow cheerleaders were treated as the lowest of the low,” Hannah Turnbow said. “The Houston Texans were paid thousands of dollars to have us show up at appearances at locations all over Texas with no security, no transportation and where our safety was not guaranteed.”
When a fan attacked her on one occasion, leaving her with abrasions on her shoulder, the team allegedly told her to “just suck it up,” she said.
The team defended its program in a statement.
“We are proud of the cheerleader program and have had hundreds of women participate and enjoy their experience while making a positive impact in the local community," Texans spokeswoman Amy Palcic said.
Last month, three ex-cheerleaders filed a similar suit in Houston federal court claiming inadequate pay and accusing a cheerleading supervisor of body shaming.
The legal actions followed other reports of disturbing treatment by teams around the country.
Members of the Washington Redskins cheerleading squad told the New York Times they were sent to Costa Rica in 2013 and asked to pose topless for a calendar shoot while team sponsors and FedEx suite holders were allowed to watch.
The women said nine of the 36 cheerleaders were then asked to accompany some of the male sponsors to a nightclub. The men had picked them out of the lineup to be their dates, according to the report.
“They weren’t putting a gun to our heads, but it was mandatory for us to go,” one of the cheerleaders told The Times. “We weren’t asked, we were told.”
A former cheerleader with the Miami Dolphins filed a complaint in April claiming she was mocked for her religious beliefs and the fact she was a virgin. An ex-New Orleans Saints cheerleader claimed she was discriminated against for violating a social media policy imposed on female cheerleaders but not male employees of the team.
Last year, a federal judge in California cited a lack of evidence when he tossed a lawsuit filed by a former San Francisco 49ers cheerleader who accused the NFL and team owners of conspiring to suppress wages for cheerleaders.
A squad of fed-up ex-cheerleaders rushed NFL headquarters Monday to demand changes to the league’s “inhumane” treatment of them.
Four former Houston Texans cheerleaders who filed a lawsuit against their old team last week delivered a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in Manhattan, asking for better pay and an end to the “egregious” exploitation of cheerleaders by “greedy team owners.”
The letter expressed outrage that many cheerleaders are paid only minimum wage – sometimes only $7.25 an hour – and are required to show up at dozens of non-game events and in luxury suites for appearances that generate “substantial” revenues that are not shared.
“It is time for the NFL to remedy inequities and force NFL teams to stop exploiting women. If not, you and the NFL can expect a backlash the likes of which will show the NFL what women’s power is all about,” the letter said.
“Please inform me as to what steps you plan to take to demonstrate leadership to remedy the sex discrimination in pay and working conditions for NFL cheerleaders. We look forward to receiving your response in writing within one week from today,” the letter, signed by the women’s lawyer Gloria Allred, said.
A security guard collected the letter from Allred to deliver to Goodell. The famous lawyer darkly joked the NFL had provided more security for this presser than it had in the past for its cheerleaders.
“We hope that by delivering this letter to Roger Goodell today, he takes this seriously and understands that we just want to be respected and treated fairly,” plaintiff and former cheerleader Kelly Neuner said. “And compensated properly for the work that we do.”
Co-counsel Kim Spurlock said the women were initially afraid to come forward.
“I’m here today...to bring light to a systemic issue of these women being bullied and harassed to the point that they are in fear,” she said. “And they’re in fear of speaking up. But today, that ends — today these brave women are here, they’re speaking up, they’re speaking out.”
Allred, who held up a t-shirt reading “$7.25,” said the cheerleaders work hard, love the NFL and deserve “a little love coming back to them.”
In the complaint filed last week, the cheerleaders, joined by a fifth former squad member, highlighted their rock-bottom pay and said they often were subjected to unsafe and hostile work environments.
“We were harassed, bullied and body-shamed for $7.25 an hour,” ex-cheerleader Ainsley Parish said at a news conference with Allred last week.
“I and my fellow cheerleaders were treated as the lowest of the low,” Hannah Turnbow said. “The Houston Texans were paid thousands of dollars to have us show up at appearances at locations all over Texas with no security, no transportation and where our safety was not guaranteed.”
When a fan attacked her on one occasion, leaving her with abrasions on her shoulder, the team allegedly told her to “just suck it up,” she said.
The team defended its program in a statement.
“We are proud of the cheerleader program and have had hundreds of women participate and enjoy their experience while making a positive impact in the local community," Texans spokeswoman Amy Palcic said.
Last month, three ex-cheerleaders filed a similar suit in Houston federal court claiming inadequate pay and accusing a cheerleading supervisor of body shaming.
The legal actions followed other reports of disturbing treatment by teams around the country.
Members of the Washington Redskins cheerleading squad told the New York Times they were sent to Costa Rica in 2013 and asked to pose topless for a calendar shoot while team sponsors and FedEx suite holders were allowed to watch.
The women said nine of the 36 cheerleaders were then asked to accompany some of the male sponsors to a nightclub. The men had picked them out of the lineup to be their dates, according to the report.
“They weren’t putting a gun to our heads, but it was mandatory for us to go,” one of the cheerleaders told The Times. “We weren’t asked, we were told.”
A former cheerleader with the Miami Dolphins filed a complaint in April claiming she was mocked for her religious beliefs and the fact she was a virgin. An ex-New Orleans Saints cheerleader claimed she was discriminated against for violating a social media policy imposed on female cheerleaders but not male employees of the team.
Last year, a federal judge in California cited a lack of evidence when he tossed a lawsuit filed by a former San Francisco 49ers cheerleader who accused the NFL and team owners of conspiring to suppress wages for cheerleaders.
