Chiranjeevi Meets 70 Federation Members To End Stalemate
Federation seeks a flat 30% hike; producers push for longer shifts and phased increase
Hyderabad: Veteran actor Chiranjeevi on Monday met around 70 members of the Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation at his residence to discuss the ongoing wage hike issue even as the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce met producers to deliberate on the issue.
It is learnt that the federation rejected the “gradual wage hike” proposal suggested by producers, and demanded a flat 30 per cent increase. They also opposed the idea of limiting the hike only to workers earning between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 per day, insisting that those drawing between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 should also be included. The producers are expected to hold further internal discussions before responding to the Federation’s fresh demands.
Speaking about Chiranjeevi's involvement, producer C. Kalyan said that the senior actor was keen on safeguarding the interests of both producers and cine workers, and was trying to strike a balance between their demands.
“Workers in Hyderabad are paid more than in Mumbai and Chennai, but we are still trying to arrive at a reasonable hike. The producers, meanwhile, are demanding 9 am to 9 pm call sheets, and some unions, like dancers and fighters, are already following this. I will talk to federation members about extending it to other unions as well,” he said.
Kalyan added that the federation had agreed to accept government and festival holidays, but emphasised that workers who were available should be allowed to work on other Sundays. “I come from a federation background. Employees have been suffering due to no pay and lack of food during the strike over the last 15 days," he remarked.
He also pointed out that industry status for the film sector has been pending since the tenure of the late Union minister Sushma Swaraj. “The producers provide breakfast, meals, and snacks to thousands of workers on set. In comparison, regular office-goers bring their own food. We have always functioned like a family, and I believe these issues will be resolved sooner rather than later,” Kalyan said.
