TV strike: Workers body forms core committee

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MUMBAI: Some progress has been made in the ongoing TV strike. The Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE) late this evening put together a core committee of 12. These 12 will represent the 22 crafts, in their negotiations with the produers associations.

As per the latest indications, the FWICE will stand by the memorandum of understanding (MoU) which had been signed on 4 October 2008 with the producers associations. The MoU it inked earlier this week stands annulled.

The core committee is slated to meet with the producers' core committee to arrive at a resolution.

Said FWICE general secretary Dinesh Chaturvedi: "If producers are willing to pay as per the wages agreed to in the 4 October MoU, we will allow shoots."

Fresh protests, however, came from the production controllers' association about this arrangement. They are supposed to have a confab tomorrow at 10.30 am at their office.

The 4 October memorandum levies a heavy wage bill on TV producers, which could leave a hole in their margins.

Said a TV channel head: "This is good progress. At least we will know who the production community is talking to. And things can be resolved quicker now."

Source : http://www.indiantelevision.com/headline...nov223.php