The actors of “Blind Love” should be considered employees, says the National Labor Council

According to a complaint filed by the National Labor Relations Board, the cast members of the popular Netflix reality show “Love Is Blind” should be considered employees. The New York Times reports.

Classifying reality show contestants as workers could open the door to unionization, provide federal legal protection and set a precedent for other reality shows, The Times said.

The reality series, which just wrapped its seventh season, focuses on single men and women who meet each other through a “capsule” experience where they can only hear each other and not physically see their partner until they decide to get engaged. Newlyweds are watched every day as they meet each other’s families and friends, culminating in a wedding where they either decide to get married or leave.

In recent years, some actors have filed complaints about their strict contracts with the production companies behind the series, Kinetic Content and Delirium TV. The New York Times, which did not receive comment from the companies, said in the past the companies have argued that contestants on their shows are not employees.

But the NLRB complaint filed Wednesday said the companies classified the actors only as “participants,” not employees, so they could push contracts that would prevent them from having certain rights to work conditions and speak publicly about their experiences. according to Reuters.

Netflix is not named in the complaint and has not commented.