Union accuses Bravo of ‘unfair labor practice’ on ‘Shahs of Sunset’

A labor dispute between the producers of the reality TV show “Shahs of Sunset” and a union seeking to represent its editorial crew escalated Monday.

In a filing with the National Labor Relations Board, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees alleged that Bravo Media committed an “unfair labor practice” after the company said it would dismiss the editorial crew.

Crew members have been attempting to join the union since Sept. 10, when they began their strike.

According to the Motion Picture Editors Guild, an entertainment labor union, preliminary contract negotiations had just begun when the company announced that it would be “unable to continue working with the editors that were previously engaged on this production.”

“If Bravo or Ryan Seacrest thinks that their problems go away because they announce that our editors have been fired, they’re sorely mistaken,” Alan Heim, president of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, said in a statement. “This is no longer just a fight about whether this crew gets health and retirement benefits; it’s an unabashed attack on the right to organize.”

A spokeswoman for Bravo said the network has no comment. Season four of the show was scheduled to begin Oct. 13. The network said nothing has been decided regarding the premiere date.

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