The FWICE
strike which had paralysed Bollywood and the TV industry has finally been called off.
The
Federation Of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) began the strike on August
15 and the workers’ demands were very clear- a pay hike and an 8-hour long
shift.
FWICE Workers On A Hunger Strike
The strike was
supported by 22 other cine unions, which made everyone sit back and notice
their problems.
Not just that
there were also 16 people who started a hunger strike on Day 3.
Many movies and
TV shows were affected because of this strike. Films like Padmavati, Parmanu,
Rangbaaz and shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati, The Kapil Sharma Show etc were
hit.
The members are
now optimistic that their working conditions will improve now that Labour
Minister of Maharashtra, Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar has intervened and promised
them that their demands will be met.
FWICE Workers Protest Outside Film City Gates
When we got in
touch with FWICE President Birendra Nath Tiwari, he said, “We have called off
the strike on the assurance of the labour minister. We were supposed to have a
meeting with him and the producers today but it didn’t happen due to heavy
rains. He has requested us to end the strike. A meeting with him will be
arrangedtomorrow or day
after. He has assured that all our demands will be met and he asked us to call
the strike off because people have been standing outside the studios in protest
and it is risky considering the heavy rains in the city."
But Tiwari added
that if the workers’ demands are not met, they will resume the strike.