FWICE calls off strike

Mumbai: The strike called by Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE), the apex body of several unions of industry workers, has been called off today after producers assured them to fulfil their demands.

FWICE along with Cine and Television Artistes Association had called on a strike demanding better wages and improved working conditions which had affected the shooting of Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming "Dilwale", Aamir Khan's "Dangal" and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Bajirao Mastani".

The friction between Producers Association and FWICE has been on since February this year when the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties expired and they failed to reach to an agreement on its renewal.

"The strike has been called off on the written assurance of producers and broadcasters that the MoU will be signed by October 14, 2015 and agreement on mutual terms and conditions," B N Tiwari, President of The Sound Association of India, told PTI.

Members of nearly 22 associations including Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA), Association of Film & TV Editors, Cine Costume & Make-up Artist, Hair Dresser Association, Film Writers' Association, Western India Cinematographers Association (WICA), and others had stalled the work at various film and TV shows studios in Mumbai and other cities yesterday.

Beside film shoots, shooting of several songs and TV shows like "Maharana Pratap" was also affected.