The Federation of Western India Cine Employees has threatened to call a strike if its members’ demands for eight-hour shifts, medical insurance, accidental insurance, salary increase and job security are not met.
The federation had previously gone on strike in 2015, after which it was decided that the salaries for FWICE members would be increased by 13% in that year, 12 in the second and 11 in 2017.
However, workers continue to work on film sets for 14 to 16 hours without security, said FWICE president Birendra Nath Tiwari. “Their promises remain unfulfilled,” he added. The federation has sent a letter to the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association, Film and Television Producers Guild of India, Indian Film and TV Producers Council and Western Indian Film Producers’ Association.
The strike has been planned for August 15, since it is a national holiday. Even if their demands are fulfilled, they will extend the strike till August 17 “to send out a powerful message”, according to the Mumbai Mirror tabloid.
