Soap operas back on air in India

By Prachi Pinglay
BBC News, Mumbai

Technicians and set assistants argued that they are not paid enough

A strike by thousands of workers in India's thriving TV soap entertainment industry has been called off after a deal was reached on pay and conditions.

Entertainment channels had been broadcasting re-runs of daily soaps since 10 November, because the shooting of new episodes was suspended.

The president of the Indian Motion Picture and Producers' Association said workers will now receive new contracts.

Unions say their members will resume work immediately.

'Happy'

The producers' association president, TP Aggarwal, said that from now onwards no worker could be removed from his job without a month's notice.

The move has come as a big relief to workers, most of whom are based in the city of Mumbai (Bombay). Many of them are employed on a daily basis with uncertainty about incomes.

An assistant on sets, often referred to as a spot boy, will now get a little over $300 per month instead of $12 per day.

Sudhakar Sharma, a member of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, said that the strike was now over and work would start immediately.

"We are very happy as now all the mediators have been removed," he said. "There will be a direct contract between workers and producers."

However the agreement is only between workers primarily employed with producing television serials and not film producers.

Mr Aggarwal said his organisation was "in the process of negotiating an agreement" with them too.

Workers in the Bollywood film industry went on strike for three days for the first time in its 50-year history in October.

Unions said staff were working unreasonable hours and in many cases producers were months behind in payments to their staff.