Film Shootings To Be Hit With T'wood Workers Strike

The Telugu Film Industry is set to witness a complete shutdown of shooting activities starting Monday, as the Telugu Film Employees Federation has decided to go on strike over pending wage revisions. Talks between the Federation and the Telugu Film Producers Council, along with the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, have failed to resolve.

“Our workers will not report to duty from tomorrow (August 4) as decided by our executive committee members today. Daily wages have been stagnant for three years now,” said Rajeswar Reddy, former General Secretary of the Federation. “Despite holding multiple rounds of discussions with producers, they have shown reluctance to revise the wages. This delay is impacting the livelihood of over 10,000 workers under our federation.”

According to Reddy, daily wage workers currently earn Rs 1,400 per day. The federation has demanded a 30% hike, citing the rising cost of living in Hyderabad. “Wages used to be revised every three years, but this time, even after three months of talks, producers have not shown interest,” he noted.

While top-tier technicians like directors, cinematographers, editors, choreographers, and stunt masters reportedly negotiate their pay scales with producers and are unaffected by the stalemate, it's the daily-wage workers who are bearing the brunt. “Each film employs 150 to 200 such workers. Producers spend crores on top technicians but hesitate when it comes to marginal hikes for lower-tier workers. This disparity is unfortunate,” Reddy emphasized.

Justifying the decision to halt all shootings, he said, “We have exhausted all means of negotiation. Our workers will only resume duties for producers who agree to the revised wage structure.”

However, veteran producer C. Kalyan has voiced strong opposition to the strike. “Such pressure tactics are unfair. It’s like giving producers a do-or-die ultimatum, which is not healthy for the industry,” he said. “Yes, wages have traditionally been revised every three years, but this time, we need more time. The industry is suffering massive losses, and theatrical revenues have dropped drastically.”

Kalyan cautioned that while big producers or stars can afford a month-long production halt, daily wage workers may not survive without income for 30 days. “We must return to the table for discussions instead of issuing ultimatums, and we have a meeting again tomorrow,” he concluded.