Article Today, Hyderabad:
The standoff over wage hikes for cinema workers in the Telugu film industry remains unresolved. Producers have put forward proposals with certain conditions, but trade union leaders rejected them outright. As a result, the dispute has returned to square one. Federation leaders have announced plans to intensify their protests.
Producers’ Conditional Offer
On Saturday, producers held a press meet to outline their decision on wage hikes. They said the increase would apply only to workers earning less than Rs. 2,000 per day. Under the plan, wages would rise by 15 per cent in the first year, 5 per cent in the second year, and another 5 per cent in the third year. For those earning below Rs. 1,000 a day, the first-year hike would be 20 per cent, followed by 5 per cent in the third year. However, they clarified that this increase would not apply to small-budget films. The definition of “small film” would be announced soon. Producers also made it clear that the hikes would be implemented only if four specific conditions set by them were accepted.
Federation Rejects Proposal
Leaders of the Film Federation swiftly rejected the producers’ offer. They alleged that the decision could create divisions among the 13 unions representing daily wage workers. The federation demanded a uniform wage hike for all workers, without discrimination. They declared that they would not accept unilateral decisions on wage issues. With talks collapsing, the federation warned that its agitation would intensify from Sunday onwards.
