FWICE raids several TV show sets to ensure second Sunday off rule

On April 6 we had reported that starting April 22 bodies under the Federation of Western India Cine Employees FWICE will have a compulsory holiday on second Sunday of every month In order to make sure that the rule is being applied several senior members of the Federation inspected the sets yesterdayAlso readFWICE Massive raids will be conducted in and around MumbaiThe raid began at 830 am and the workers who were dismantling the set of Kapil Sharmas show were the first to be asked to stop work Through the day senior members of the federation patrolled in 1520 cars and halted the work on sets of many other shows including Gul Khans Adhuri Kahani Hamari in Bhandup Meenakshi Sagars show Jamai Raja in Madh Island Begusarai of ampTV a Star Plus show in Kanjur Marg Production managers of the show TashaneIshq who were planning to start shooting were also asked to go homeWe had mailed the Indian Film and TV Producers Council IFTPC and Indian Motion Picture Producers Association IMPAA on February 4 to inform them that second Sunday of every month starting April should be declared as a holiday But we wanted to check if producers are really implementing it says General secretary of FWICE Dilip PithwaWe were asked to workSenior members of the federation also spoke to their respective members present on set that this is a fight for their good A worker on the set of Jamai Raja requesting anonymity says We know that the federation is fighting for us and second Sunday off is a good initiative but the producers wanted us to work If we dont listen to them we might just lose our jobsProduction head of another show also on the condition of anonymity says Producers knew about the demand but we were told to shoot But now that the federation members have barged into set we have to stop working The producers body should have taken the federations message seriouslyA few producers though did take the federations initiative seriously and requested them to allow them to shoot Ketan Gupta from Balaji had sent us a mail to tell us that out of their 12 shows they would want to shoot for four owing to their telecast in a few days Rajan Shahi had also requested a day before April 9 that he will have to shoot for Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai because of a telecast on the very next day We have given them permission because they at least requested us with valid reasons and also assured that they will maintain second Sunday off from next month informs PithwaGetting supportNaveen Shetty Association of Cine and Television Art Directors and Costume designers says its a victory for the federation We are fighting for better treatment for our members Asking for a day off in month should be respected by producers My members are happy that federation has taken the step he statesSushant Singh actor and general secretary of Cine amp Television Artistes Association CINTAA also seconds the federation The workers have promised that they will take a leave even if producers force them to workProducer J D Majethia of IFTPC says FWICE had written to us about the fixed holiday on second Sunday of every month and we immediately wrote to them back stating that practically that is not possible We are absolutely for holidays on rotation and most of the producers practice that with their actors and techniciansSome of the sets that the senior members of the federation visited to check if the second Sunday off rule was followedHowever like news industry malls and airports etc there cant be total shutdown of the industry on a fixed day Till last evening we have requested office bearers of FWICE that they should at least allow the producers who are stuck because of telecast issue etc to shootThey did not listen to us and today more than 100 people entered the set of a lady producer Gul Khan on the set of her show Adhuri Kahani Hamari and forced the workers out of the set by threatening to cancel their cards One of them picked up the camera and took it with him Unfortunately despite repeated requests the local police station could not provide help to the producer stating that they were short staffedThe fact that 100 people enter a working premise and do whatever they want and the police is not there to help is scary for the production community We will soon reach out to Mumbai Police for their help so that the TV industry can work safely in Mumbai and would request FWICE to not use illegal ways to force their point Calling these allegation absolutely false Pithwa says None of the workers were forced to do anything We spoke to everyone politely