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IMPPA President TP Aggarwal celebrates Labour Commissioner’s judgement: Union used to blackmail the producers
The Additional Labour Commissioner of Maharashtra in a landmark judgement revealed that no union of workers can stop non members from working on a film set in Maharashtra. IMPPA President shares the details.
The Additional Labour Commissioner of Maharashtra, after a meeting Indian Motion Picture Producers Association, in a landmark judgement revealed that no union/association of workers can stop non members from working on a film set in Maharashtra. “For years, the workers associations had tortured not only producers, but also all creative and technical workers to forcefully become members. They were not allowed to work if they chose not to become members,” informs IMPPA president, TP Aggarwal.
He believes that this is a very good judgement for the industry as producers have got complete liberty of working with talent from across the country. “The unions used to blackmail the producers to work with only the registered members. I remember, in 2018, the Competition Commission of India had passed a judgement that no producer is bound to work with just the registered members and the union can’t disturb the shoot if their workers are not hired for a project,” he reveals, adding further that in the past, the union often used to disrupt the schedules if the producers didn’t abide by their terms of work.
“After the death of senior art director, Raju Sapte, we had a meeting with Mumbai Police about the constant disturbance of association and they were just a call away in-case the producers faced an issue on the sets. A whatsapp group was made to complain about the disturbance. In the same span, I was writing letters to the Labour Commissioner and finally, we have a landmark judgment,” Aggarwal explains.
The president insists that every producer of the industry is celebrating this decision as they can work now without any pressures from the union of workers. “If the blackmail had continued, Bollywood would have shifted from Mumbai. In-fact, a lot of producers had already decided to shoot outside the state. Finally, everyone is happy,” he signs off.
The order of Additional Labour Commissioner is enclosed below (sic):
President/Secretary
IMPPA
MUMBAI.
Sub: Regarding illegal recovery of workers' wages and other sums from film industry unions
Senior art director Late Shri Raju Sapte committed suicide on July 2, 2021 due to mental harassment by the office bearers of the organization, it is clearly mentioned in the first news report with Wakad Police Thane, District Pune. In that connection, a meeting was held with Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mumbai on 7th July, 2021. In connection with this meeting, a meeting was held on 12 July 2021 in this office as well as the Association of Film Producers and Directors. In the discussion held in this meeting, it was observed that the salaries of the workers / employees working for the film makers are being paid through the trade unions. This is a violation of labor law. For this, the following points should be strictly followed: -
Thanking you
SHIRIN S LOKHANDE
ADDITIONAL LABOR COMMISSIONER
KOKAN SECTION, MUMBAI.
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