The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), a prominent trade union representing over one lakh members from Bollywood, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking intervention to address the grievances of daily wage workers, technicians, junior artists, and other contributors in the Indian film industry.
In a letter sent on January 11, AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta outlined critical issues faced by workers, including long working hours, delayed wages, unsafe working conditions, and lack of job security.
Key Concerns Raised in the Letter
The letter highlighted the following challenges:
- Exploitation and Overwork: Workers often endure 16 to 20-hour shifts without adequate breaks or holidays, affecting their physical and mental health.
- Safety Hazards: Shooting sets often lack essential safety measures, including fire safety and security arrangements, leading to frequent accidents. Substandard food and unhygienic conditions exacerbate health concerns.
- Delayed Wages: Salaries are frequently delayed by months or even years, pushing workers into financial distress. Many have seen no significant wage increase in the last two decades, and post-COVID reductions have worsened their plight.
- Gender-Specific Issues: Female workers often lack access to secure changing rooms, especially during outdoor shoots, forcing them to change in unsafe or inappropriate areas.
- Lack of Legal Protections: Workers are employed without formal contracts, leaving them vulnerable to arbitrary dismissals and exploitation. They also lack medical coverage, provident funds, and compensation for on-set accidents.
A Call for Structural Reforms
To uplift the workers, AICWA proposed several reforms, including:
- Classifying the film industry as an “organized sector.”
- Introducing legal mandates for contracts, provident funds, medical aid, and gratuity.
- Ensuring timely payment of wages and revising salary structures to match inflation.
- Establishing safety protocols and compensation policies for on-set accidents.
The letter concluded with a request for a meeting with PM Modi to discuss these issues in detail, emphasizing the need for urgent reforms to safeguard the dignity, rights, and safety of workers who form the backbone of India’s entertainment industry.
AICWA’s plea underscores the pressing need for systemic changes to address the widespread exploitation and improve working conditions in the Indian film industry.
