You may have to stare at blank TV screens again

Film and television workers are at loggerheads with the producers again with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE)—apex body of movie-workers comprising 22 unions with 1.5 lakh members — complaining that many producers have defaulted on payments again, despite signing a MoU and accepting a marginal hike in

September last year when the workers had struck work. Insiders indicate that FWICE is now thinking about going back to its previous stance if the matter is not addressed soon, and the dues are not cleared within two months. FWICE had formally called a strike on September 30 last year, bolting the television into darkness as the TV channels were forced to run old content and see their advertisements dip. All film shootings too had ground to a halt.

Dharmesh Tiwari, president of the federation, told DNA: “Many workers are still not being paid on time, and, when the work is over, the producers don’t feel it is their duty to pay up. It is unfair that the producer enjoys the returns, but the workers don’t even get an interest on the money which has not been cleared on time.”

Tiwari added: “We are raising this issue with the producers and hope this serious bone of contention is resolved immediately. We are confident the producers’ body will pull up the defaulters and ask them to pay up. If not, we will have to think about something drastic to get their attention.”

Mukesh Bhatt, chairman, producers’ body, said: “Such people exist on both sides. Everything can be solved through discussions. When workers raise the issue, we will sort it out.”