Kerala make-up artists on hunger strike, say FEFKA shields harassers

Three female make-up artists working in the Malayalam film industry are on a hunger strike in front of their Union - All Kerala Cine Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists Association in Kochi. They tell TNM’s Sukanya Shaji that they have been forced to take this drastic step as a last resort after the Union, which they say charges over a lakh rupees for a basic membership, has been stonewalling their complaints of harassment and protecting perpetrators including men against whom FIRs for sexual harassment have been registered. Their Union is among the 21 trade unions affiliated with the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), presided by B Unnikrishnan. They demand that the Kerala government look into their complaints, including the highly exorbitant and arbitrary membership fee, failing to pay which results in work bans and financial distress. TNM met the protesting women on the first day of their strike. That night, they slept on the roadside and the next morning, one of them was hospitalised due to ill health. A meeting was then convened between them and FEFKA representatives, and the hunger strike was temporarily suspended.