Shooting
of
films
and
TV
shows
came
to
a
standstill
on
Wednesday
after
the
Federation
of
Western
India
Cine
Employees
(FWICE)
called
for
an
indefinite
strike
due
to
a
conflict
between
the
recognised
labour
unions
in
Bollywood
and
their
rival
group.
"Since
today
morning,
there
were
no
shoots
-
be
it
films
or
television.
Now
the
meeting
with
the
members
of
the
union
is
going
on
and
accordingly
a
decision
will
be
taken," an
official
from
Mumbai's
expansive
Film
City,
told.
The
'indefinite
strike' was
reportedly
called
after
officers
from
the
Bandra-Kurla
Complex
(BKC)
police
station
arrested
five
FWICE
members
on
charges
of
assaulting
the
Registrar
of
Trade
Union
Tuesday.
However,
they
were
released
on
bail
the
same
evening.
The
Registrar
is
said
to
have
colluded
with
a
rival
trade
union
faction,
which
is
headed
by
Gangeshwar
Shrivastav,
to
lodge
a
false
police
complaint.
Prem
Singh
Thakur,
chairman,
Film
Studios
Setting
and
Allied
Mazdoor
Union,
told,
"Gangeshwar
Shrivastav
has
been
giving
a
tough
time
to
all
of
us.
Yesterday,
when
we
went
to
the
trade
union
office
to
present
our
case,
Gangeshwar
was
already
sitting
there
and
he
started
abusing
us,
which
ended
up
in
a
fight.
"He
then
filed
a
false
complaint
against
us.
Now
it's
enough.
We
are
not
going
to
tolerate
this
anymore."
The
strike
was
thus
called
to
"ensure
that
the
matter
is
taken
seriously
and
reaches
a
conclusion".
Thakur
reiterated
that
Shrivastav
and
his
associates
were
expelled
from
FWICE
on
charges
of
corruption
and
criminal
intimidation.
Shrivastav
was
a
former
general
secretary
of
the
Allied
Mazdoor
Union.
According
to
Khalid
Khan,
the
advisory
chairman
of
Allied
Mazdoor
Union,
"Shrivastav
is
not
ready
to
leave
his
position
despite
not
being
elected
as
the
general
secretary.
"He
has
been
troubling
many
producers
and
has
been
creating
a
lot
of
problem.
We
are
certain
that
there
is
some
political
party
supporting
him
and
we
want
the
police
to
inquire
about
this
case," Khan
said.
A
decision
about
the
strike
will
be
taken
later.