Bollywood workers on strike

Mumbai, Oct 1 (UNI) At least 1,20,000 workers in the Hindi Film and Television industry stopped work from today to demand better wages and timely payments.

Workers, including actors, technicians, cameramen, affiliated to the federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), have resorted to the indefinite stoppage of work, leading to cancellation of shootings in the Metropolis.

The use of non-union members in the film industry was also being protested by the Unions, industry sources said.

Talks with the Producers' Association did not yield any settlement on wages last August, the sources said.

A film worker usually gets Rs 500 per day but the payments were not timely, they said.

Shootings of films featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor have been cancelled for the day.

Meanwhile, the newly-elected president of the Association of Motion Picture and TV Programme Producers Ratan Jain was hopeful that an agreement would be worked out soon. He said a prolonged agitation was not in the interest of Bollywood.

UNI OBB SR RSA KN1827