Mumbai: The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), the nodal body for all cine employees hosted a formal get-together and benevolence meeting with the leaders of the 22 crafts union’s associations affiliated to it on 7th March 2018 at Pathare Prabhu Hall, Andheri (West), Mumbai.FWICE President B.N. Tiwari and General Secretary Ashok Dubey with their office bearers representing the rights and privileges of cine workers had initiated this meeting over sumptuous food to discuss to the key policies pertaining to the welfare of the cine artistes, technicians and workers with film and television producers’ union leaders too.
The gathering even witnessed union that had separated from the federation earlier like Asia’s largest film labour union, ‘Film Studios Setting & Allied Mazdoor Union’ (FSSAMU) whose ex-chairman was veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty and now is chaired by the dynamic and dashing MLA Ram Kadam. Gangeshwarlal Shrivastav a.k.a. Sanju, the brave and undaunted General Secretary of FSSAMU attended this meeting which was well received.
T.P. Aggarwal – filmmaker and President of Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA), Ashoke Pandit - a filmmaker and social activist and the Vice President of (IMPPA) and ex-president of Indian Films & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA), Sushant Singh – actor and General Secretary of Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA), Gajendra Chauhan – actor and ex-chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Prabhat Pandey – secretary of Western India Film Producers’ Association (WIFPA), actor Abhimanyu Singh, Mahamandelshwar Sanjay Giri Maharaj, Ashfaque Khopekar – President of Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation Awards, Sharad Devram Shelar – filmmaker and hotelier and many other prominent office bearers of the association were also present on the occasion.
The threesome viz B.N. Tiwari, Gangeshwarlal Shrivastav and Ashok Dubey took turns in felicitating and honoring all the union leaders and guest with bouquets and glory. The combination of these three men looked like a power of strength who together will successfully maneuver the herculean task of providing the rights and welfare of cine employees of FWICE and taking it to greater heights by leaving no stone unturned.
Speaking on the occasion, B.N. Tiwari, the President of FWICE said, “We all are like a family and stay bonded. Together we have organized this mammoth gathering for harboring proper and effective communications like a joint family and help each other in their needs.” He further added, “We do not intend to harass any film or television producers. We would like to co-operate and work in hands like a team. We would not stop the shooting, but will negotiate our cine workers genuine demand and work conditions. Thus we should think of each other and come to terms.”
Apart from the President and General Secretary of FWICE, their Senior Vice President - Raja Khan, Vice President Sangam Upadhyay, Joint Secretaries – Stalin D’souza and Rajan Singh, Treasurer – Wasim Quresh and all the respective heads of all the affiliated 22 unions came together under one roof to make the event a grand and memorable one.