Will Telugu cineworkers halt film shoots over wage hike demands?

Hyderabad, Aug 10 (NationPress) The protest by Telugu cineworkers has gained momentum as they demand a wage increase, prompting the Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation to threaten a suspension of film shoots starting Monday.

Tensions escalated at the Federation's office on Sunday, where a significant number of workers congregated, chanting slogans in support of their cause. Members from all 24 unions took part in the demonstration.

Federation leaders, who represent the collective unions, warned of a complete stoppage of film shoots if negotiations with producers fail to produce favorable outcomes.

They indicated they would allow a few days for scheduled film shoots before taking further action.

Anil Vallabhaneni, the Federation president, mentioned they would communicate with producers regarding the announced schedules and would cease filming if necessary.

The Federation dismissed the producers' suggestion for a gradual wage increment, criticizing the offer as it applied to only 13 out of the 24 unions. They labeled this a strategy to undermine their solidarity.

While the Federation is open to negotiating their original request for a 30 percent wage hike, they firmly stated that offering wage increases to select unions while excluding others is unacceptable.

According to the Federation, the producers' proposed increases were limited to workers earning Rs 1,500 per day, excluding those making Rs 2,500. They insisted that all 10,000 daily wage workers should receive equal treatment, rather than creating divisions.

In response to producer T.G. Vishwa Prasad sending legal notices, Federation leaders clarified they are in discussions with the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce and not with individual producers.

Prasad has issued notices to the Federation's president, general secretary, and treasurer, citing a Rs 1.5 crore loss due to the strike. Vallabhaneni stated that they would refrain from attending film shoots under Prasad's direction while the matter is in court.

The Federation leaders plan to meet with Telangana Cinematography Minister, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, to discuss their demands further.

The Producers' Guild proposed a staggered wage increase. Under this proposal, workers earning under Rs 2,000 per day would see a 15 percent rise in Year 1, followed by 5 percent in subsequent years. Those making less than Rs 1,000 per day were offered a 20 percent increase in Year 1 and 5 percent in the following two years.

In the meantime, renowned actor Chiranjeevi has refuted claims suggesting he is backing the strike initiated by the Telugu Film Employees Federation.

"I have learned that individuals posing as Film Federation members have misled the media, asserting that I assured them their demands for a 30 percent wage increase will be met and that I would commence shooting soon. I want to clarify that I have not met anyone from the Federation. This is an industry-wide issue, and no individual, including myself, can make unilateral promises to resolve it," the megastar stated on 'X'.

"The film chamber serves as the central authority of the Telugu Film Industry, and only the Film Chamber, collectively, can engage in discussions with all parties and reach an equitable resolution. Until then, spreading such falsehoods is intolerable. I denounce all such unfounded and motivated statements meant to incite confusion among stakeholders," he added.