TV workers press forward with a new demand

While entertainment channels started airing programme reruns following the technicians’ strike, the row between technicians and producers saw the workers put forth a new demand to the producers on Monday.

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has demanded that the channels should set up a body that would scrutinise the budget proposal submitted to them from the producers to ensure that the right amount of money is being disbursed as workers’ wages.

The channel bosses, on the other hand, blamed the federation for pressurising the producers and the channels during a recession. They accused the workers for demanding more wages and driving up the production costs by at least 15% on every episode.

Furious on hearing the stance of the broadcasters, Dharmesh Tiwari, president of FWICE said, “The channels are saying that they cannot pay more money in the age of recession, but the truth is that we have been asking for more money for the last two years.”