Bollywood strike ends

Mumbai -- The work stoppage that forced dozens of Bollywood productions to halt has ended, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees said.

Union leader Dinesh Chaturvedi told the BBC that managers had given in to the workers' demands.

Nearly 150,000 workers in India's film and television industry went on strike this week, forcing about 40 productions to stop.

Variety.com said members of the union, which represents a range of workers from extras and dancing girls to lighting technicians and camera operators, took part in the strike.

Their demands include on-time pay, a 12-hour maximum work day and improved safety considerations, the entertainment industry trade newspaper said.

Chaturvedi, the union's general-secretary, told Variety.com the workers earn about $10.45 a day for TV and $12.50 a day for film work and have to wait 90 days after a shoot to be paid.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.