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Action! Bollywood back to work after deal struck

05.10.2008 16:01 Arts - Source: cbc.ca

Unions in Bollywood, India's movie industry, have struck a tentative agreement with producers for better pay and working conditions, ending a strike that began on Wednesday.

"The strike is over," the head of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FIWCE), Dinesh Chaturvedi, declared on Friday after four hours of talks with three bodies representing producers.

Ratan Jain of the Association of Motion Picture and TV Program Producers said production would resume this weekend.

About 147,000 workers — including actors, lighting technicians, camera operators and dancers — began their strike on Wednesday against low wages, late pay and long hours.

Chaturvedi said the producers agreed to employ only members of the 22 organizations affiliated with FIWCE and to limit shifts to a maximum of 12 hours per day.

Working conditions on the sets are notoriously poor. Workers who build movie sets or handle lighting get paid about $11 for long days without overtime.

Earlier this week, Chaturvedi had complained that wages sometimes had been withheld for up to six months. Now, those wages will be paid within 15 days.

The number of films made in India in 2007 was 1,146, according to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI).

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Bollywood goes dark as 100,000 actors, film crew members strike

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