AMMA members have proposed a trade union for actors, FEFKA confirmed

Actor Mohanlal and filmmaker B. File photo of Unnikrishnan, then General Secretary of Kerala Film Employees Federation (FEFKA). Photo credit: Thulsi Kakkat

The Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) has faced a new challenge as it has emerged that some of its members have approached the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) to form an actors’ trade union.

AMMA is currently without elected officials after the 17-member executive committee headed by actor Mohanlal resigned in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment in the industry from the Hema Committee report.

General-Secretary of Confederation of 21 Trade Unions of Film Industry B. Unnikrishnan confirmed that 15 to 20 AMMA members had approached him with proposals at various times but refused to disclose their names due to confidentiality. He, however, insisted that this could not be interpreted as leading to a possible split in AMMA as the idea of ​​forming a trade union of actors was conceived while maintaining AMMA in its present form.

Actors Jayan Cherthala and Jagadish, who were co-presidents of the outgoing AMMA executive committee, said they were not aware of any such move by AMMA members. “I have nothing to respond to at this point. I will respond when I get to know something,” said Mr. Jagadish.

Mr. Cherthala said he came to know about the move only through media reports. Later, reacting to a section of the media, actor Joy Mathew, another former executive committee member, claimed that no member of the committee was involved. He also added that a trade union for actors was unlikely considering the wage disparity among actors.

Mr. Unnikrishnan said those who contacted him had examined the possibility of such actors being affiliated as member organizations of the trade union FEFKA. They were clearly told that such affiliation would not be possible without the approval of the General Assembly of FEFKA. To approve a union as an affiliated body, the General Assembly must be satisfied of its by-laws and objectives.

Mr. Unnikrishnan said it was possible for actors to be members of a trade union and any number of cultural or charitable organizations, but not two trade unions at the same time. He gave the example of being a member of the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association, which is not a trade union, and FEFCA, which is a trade union.

He adds that forming and maintaining a trade union requires a level of commitment that, given the nature of the actors’ work, they can sustain.

Mr. Unnikrishnan, however, felt that the wage disparity was not a potential deterrent for actors to form a trade union, noting how such a union, the largest in the Indian film industry, exists in Bollywood.