MUMBAI: The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) together have raised several concerns with broadcasters and producers but their appeals haven't been responded to, yet.
They had submitted several grievances on working conditions, payments and duty hours to the producers association through series of joint meetings and communications but did not get any positive answers 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 shoot, this has only created a feeling of unrest and misguidance amongst the members, even before resumptions of shoot," said the two bodies in a release.
FWICE and CINTAA which has scores of members enrolled in the cadres of actors, technicians and workers need immediate changes implemented in the working system/payment terms before any resumption of shoots.
Many producers are taking unilateral steps of calling members for shoot and this has only created a feeling of unrest and misguidance amongst the members, even before resumptions of shoot.
Post Covid2019 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 the concerns are suitably addressed, the release added.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com CINTAA senior joint secretary Amit Behl said, “There has been radio silence from broadcasters and producers for almost one week and that is the reason we have to issue this press release. Our people are hounding us as to what we must do."
"We were supposed to get a response from the producer's association and broadcasters as to what is the final decision they have taken in terms of insurance cover, payment, earlier defaults, SOP measures, studios and other important things. As a counterpart we issued this release,” he further added.
According to Behl, CINTAA and the board understands that broadcasters are facing trouble in terms of advertising but there must be a clarity around budget cuts. The association is answerable to 10,000 members while the federation to five lakh people. He adds that people with bare minimum salary cannot afford to have 30 percent deduction, which is the cut that has been intimated to them.
IFTPC chairman TV wing JD Majethia acknowledged the release sent. "We have been in constant touch with the association. Slowly and gradually we are trying to resolve each and every issue," he said.
He also added that the producer's association and broadcasters will have to give a response as they cannot work without cast and crew.
The association's demand includes:
. Shift hours strictly to be eight hours per day
. Payments to daily paid actors/ technicians/ workers has to be settled by the end of the day
. All contractual employees have to be paid in 30 days
. Conveyance has to be settled end of the day
. Mandatory weekly holiday
. Adherence to stringent health and safety protocols as per directives of the government
. Insurance: health and life insurance with Covid2019 specific coverage. We demand a Rs 50 lakh cover for actors / workers /technicians who succumb to death.
. No pay cuts/discounts will be agreed by actors/ workers /technicians post resuming to work.
. No actor/ technicians/ workers would be replaced for refusing giving discounts on their emolument
. Deployment of a well-equipped ambulance along with a paramedical staff (nurse) and a doctor at the location
It says that all the above-mentioned issues have to be resolved first so that there is complete clarity to all, be it actors/ workers or technicians. "No one can risk the lives of human resources and for us at FWICE AND CINTAA certainly not," it adds.
It adds that even after strict directives issued by the I&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 Covid2019 pandemic, the producers have still not cleared the outstanding dues of the members. The association demands that all the outstanding dues of members should be cleared prior to the resumption of the shooting.
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