Employees of pharma firms to hold rally on January 2

Around 20,000 sales promotion employees of state-based pharmaceutical companies will hold a rally from Rani Baug in Byculla to Azad Maidan on January 2 demanding enforcement of the Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act,1976.

“This is a fight for our legal identity. Appointment letters for employees should be on the basis of submission of Form-A,which makes labour laws applicable. By refusing to submit Form-A,pharmaceutical companies are treating their employees as bonded labourers,” alleged K B Kadam,general secretary of Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives’ Association of India (FMRAI).

Kadam added that such practices by pharmaceutical companies affect medicine distribution. “ When employees are treated as bonded labourers,there is a high possibility of them being involved in bribery for trade and prescription of medicines,” he said.

A delegation from FMRAI and Centre of Indian Trade Union is expected to meet the state labour minister on Tuesday to convey their demands.