The stand-off between the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) and the TN Film Producers’ Council (TFPC) has finally come to an end with the latter saying that they are willing to work with FEFSI members and others as well.
Following this assurance by TFPC President Vishal, FEFSI President RK Selvamani announced that they are calling off the strike.
On July 26, the TFPC headed by Vishal, took the decision of allowing producers to employ any technician, including those who are not associated with FEFSI.
FEFSI is an organisation consisting of technicians from the Tamil film industry and is believed to have around 25,000 members.
The press note issued by the Producers’ Council said, “Producers are bound to pay their workers but a section of members of FEFSI are trying to demand unreasonable remuneration, which causes huge loss.”
This decision was taken unanimously by the Producers’ Council after FEFSI workers stalled the shooting of a film Billa Pandi that was being produced by RK Suresh’s Studio 9, demanding higher wages. The makers suffered huge losses as the technicians working on the film went on a flash strike.
On Tuesday, the President of FEFSI, RK Selvamani, had announced that technicians associated with the federation would go on an indefinite strike from August 1 if their demands for higher wages were not met.
Speaking at the press meet, RK Selvamani had said, “The FEFSI has nearly 25,000 members and it is unfair if the council refuses to pay the wages which have already been agreed upon.”