No one likes to work more than what one is paid for nor do we want the fear of getting fired if we ask to be paid what we deserve for the work that we do. We have the right to be adequately paid for the amount of work done, to not be exploited. This is what is happening for programmers who find themselves working many overtime hours and do not get the extra pay that other workers would normally get.
The case of Neil Aitken is that of a diligent programmer who is not compensated for the hours he has worked. He claims that the company forced him to put less hours worked on his time sheet, showing none of the weekend hours worked. The lawsuit was made against Vivendi Universal for refusing to pay extra worked hours.
The idea of the lawsuit originated from this unfair payment and from the fact that those who voiced their concerns would lose their jobs. That way the employer would keep paying only for 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, no matter how many extra hours had been worked. Even though most programmers enjoy a freer schedule than most working people it should not mean that they can be paid the minimum; they should be paid according to the amount of work that they put in.
If you feel you fall under the category of programmers with unpaid overtime you can join a class action lawsuit to demand for your rights.
Another example of such a legal action is an Electronic Arts Inc. employee called Leander Hasty; he sued the company for failing to comply with labor laws and pay him overtime work.
Hasty seeks compensation for his work and penalties for failing to pay on time, as well as making the company pay its employers what they deserve. He seeks people who worked with him from 2001 onward to join his class action case. If you suffer from unpaid overtime, this may be the time to take action.