Kathmandu- Nepal Film Technicians Association (NEFTA) is going to introduce a shift system in filming with effect from 1st Baisakh. The union is going to introduce a 12-hour shift system keeping in mind the interests of the technicians.
President Pushkar Lama said that looking at the practices of workers working in the international film industry, such a system is going to be implemented in Nepal as well. According to which, now Nepali technicians will have to work according to a 12-hour schedule from 7 am to 7 pm and from 9 am to 9 pm.
If the manufacturer has to work extra time, the technician will have to pay more. This decision was taken by the recently held working committee meeting of NEFTA.
“We were preparing to start this practice since 2076, but the corona epidemic stopped it”, President Lama said, “We have brought this rule by looking at the current situation and business of the film. The objective is to protect the manufacturer as it is a responsible labor organization.
President Lama also said that NEFTA will cooperate with related bodies such as Producers Association and Film Association to implement the shift system. Lama said that the 8-hour rule is practiced in the foreign film industry.
Since the new year, NEFTA is bringing another rule. Which is expected to benefit the indigenous technicians. Foreign films coming to shoot in Nepal must have 65 percent Nepali technicians and they are also preparing to bring a rule to cooperate with NEFTA while filming in Nepal. There is a rule that when going to a neighboring country to shoot a film, you have to cooperate with the association there. We are going to start the same rule in Nepal as well,” he said.
Since Baisakh 1, technicians who do not subscribe to NEFTA will not be able to work and will not even get facilities from the organization. Lama, who was elected as the president for the third consecutive term last month, has made the rights of technicians and the internationalization of films his main agenda.
