National Football League

Raiders want NFL to arbitrate cheerleader lawsuit

Published Mar. 19, 2014 1:58 p.m. ET

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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders say a lawsuit filed by the team's cheerleaders who claim they are being cheated out of wages and expenses should be handled by league arbitration, not in a courtroom.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/1ihhror ) that the team wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to handle arbitrating the lawsuit filed by the Raiderette cheerleaders.

The cheerleaders are paid $125 per home game, or $1,250 per season, in a contract that includes hours of unpaid rehearsals, charity and commercial appearances.

The women say the pay translates to less than $5 an hour. California's minimum wage is $8 an hour.

Raiderettes attorney Leslie Levy says league arbitration presents a conflict of interest because the commissioner is paid by the Raiders and other NFL teams.

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Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com