Cineflix workers could share more than $1 million in class-action settlement: unions

Photo: The Canadian Press

The Ontario Superior Court building is seen in Toronto.

Two Canadian media and entertainment unions say a Toronto-based production company behind some popular reality shows has agreed to pay Factual TV company Cineflix workers at least $1 million to settle a class-action lawsuit.

CWA Canada and IATSE say the settlement agreement was submitted to an Ontario court Monday for approval following three years of negotiations.

The lawsuit was filed by law firm Cavalluzzo in 2018 on behalf of hundreds of current and former workers at Cineflix, which produces such TV shows as "Property Brothers" and "Mayday." It came after a five-year “Fairness in Factual” campaign by CWA Canada to bring fair working conditions to the industry. IATSE joined the campaign in 2019, with the formation of the Factual Television Joint Council.

The proposed settlement would be for all employment standards entitlements (overtime pay, vacation pay, holiday pay) for nearly everyone who worked for Cineflix as employees or independent contractors since October 2016.

The unions say Cineflix also has until March to decide whether to sign a collective agreement that has already been negotiated or pay an additional lump sum.

Cavalluzzo has also filed a class-action lawsuit against Insight Productions seeking damages for alleged employment standards violations. That is still before the courts. Insight Productions is best known for producing Canadian versions of shows such as "The Amazing Race," "Big Brother" and CBC’s "Battle of the Blades."