Ellen DeGeneres faces crew fury over pay, working hours

Pic Courtesy: TV show still

Los Angeles: The crew of Ellen DeGeneres popular chat show is furious over lack of communication regarding pay amid the lockdown due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

According to various well-placed sources, crew members of DeGeneres' long-running talk show are outraged because of the treatment from producers amid the coronavirus pandemic, reports variety.com.

The show's main stage crew, which consists of more than 30 employees, received "no communication" about issues like pay, working hours or inquiries about their mental and physical health from producers for over a month.

DeGeneres has resumed shooting for her show from her home, and getting a non-union tech company to help DeGeneres broadcast daily from her home angered the crew more.

Last week, all crew members were asked to brace for a 60 per cent reduction in pay, even as the show continues to air.

According to two sources, the "higher-ups in production would occasionally answer phone calls but reveal little" about the situation or their status.

There are only four of the core crew members who are currently working on the "remote version of the broadcast". The sources noted that this inconsiderate treatment is inconsistent with DeGeneres' daily message to her audiences to "be kind".

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Television, which distributes the show, said: "Our executive producers and Telepictures are committed to taking care of our staff and crew and have made decisions first and foremost with them in mind."

The studio stressed that the crew has been paid consistently, though at reduced hours.