B’wood worker bodies allege non-payment

MUMBAI: The ‘Federation of Western India Cine Employees’ (FWICE) and ‘Cine and Television Artists Association’ (CINTAA) jointly issued a statement, where they alleged that despite the information and broadcasting ministry’s instructions to producers to clear pending payments of actors and technicians, it is not done till date.

The film bodies also issued a set of regulations that needs to be followed during shooting, keeping in mind the safety of artistes and technicians.

The regulations read, “The decision to come out with the press release had to be taken as many of the grievances on working conditions/ payment terms/ duty hours which was submitted to the ‘Producers Association’ through series of joint meetings and communications earlier did not result in any positive reverts from them. There is still uncertainty looming large. Though we have always assured our best support to them they have not taken our concurrence on many issues resulting in lack of clarity and confusions. Many producers are taking unilateral steps of calling our members for shooting, but this has only created a feeling of unrest and misguidance amongst the members, even before resumptions of shoot.” “Post COVID-19, the working system would change for all with probable health challenges and drop in immunity levels, hence it is all the more important that all our concerns are suitably addressed. It is highly regretted to note that even after the strict directives issued by the ‘I and B’ ministry to all the producers to clear the outstanding dues of the actors, workers and technicians pending prior to the announcement of the lockdown by the government amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the producers have still not cleared the outstanding dues of our members. All the outstanding dues of our members should be cleared prior to the resumption of the shootings,” the regulations added.

The two associations also jointly shared a few instructions that should be followed in order to avoid risking the lives of people during shooting. These are: “Shift hours strictly to be eight hours per day; payment to daily paid actors/ workers/ technicians has to be settled end of day; all contractual employees have to be paid in 30 days; conveyance has to be settled end of day; mandatory weekly holiday; adherence to stringent health and safety protocols as per directives of the government; health and life insurance with COVID- 19 specific coverage among others.

‘FWICE’ and ‘CINTAA’ demand clearance of all outstanding dues by the producers