Mumbai: The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) called strike has not really gathered much support from technicians associated with TV producers. And apart from a handful of FWICE members who have been protesting outside Mumbai’s Film City (producers say that most of the protesters don’t have much work anyway), TV show shoots have been going on almost everyday since the strike was called, apart from the normal heckling from strikers.
The FWICE is now changing its strategy. FWICE officers have been approaching political parties to get support from them. The Shivsena Chitrapat had already announced that it was not supporting the FWICE initiative. Over the weekend the association has roped in Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Sanjay Nirupam.
Following his involvement, protestors who till now were denied permission by the police to enter Film City have now been doing so to talk to the workers (According to High Court interim order the protestors are allowed to talk to the workers during their breaks in the presence of police officials).
Indian Film & TV producers TV wing head JD Majethia told Tellychakkar.com that the FWICE protestors have been visiting the sets and they are also coercing the workers to join them in their illegal strike. “None of the workers are ready to be part of the strike and therefore no shooting has been stalled and the work is progressing smoothly,” says Majethia..
Now the FWICE is slated to meet Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tomorrow morning to put forward its grievances. And producers are slated to meet to discuss the strategy going forward..
Hopefully, the FWICE protest does not take on a deeper political hue than it has so far. After politicians and workers unions make for strange bedfellows.
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