Med reps protest for 8-hour jobs

NAGPUR: Over a thousand medical representatives (MRS) staged a demonstration in front of the assistant labour commissioner's office on Tuesday under the banner of Maharashtra Sales and Medical Representatives Association (MSMRA). They were demanding only eight hours of working and implementation of the 'sales promotion employees act' (SPEA).
The two-day all-India strike ends on Wednesday.
Dilip Deshpande, the MSMRA general secretary, told TOI that the strike completely paralysed marketing activities of drug industry in the city. MRS will be staging a demonstration again on Wednesday. "We have tried to seek support of the doctors too as they too are part of the sales promotion of medicines. MRS met 250 doctors today and sought their support," he said.
MSMRA says that the drug industry has been violating labour norms and laws for long. But, except for few states like Uttaranchal, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal who are implementing the SPEA, all other state governments including Maharashtra have done little to improve the situation.
Deshpande says that the industry does not follow even basic labour laws like giving appointment letters, maintaining service and leave register.
An eight-member delegation of MSMRA met the assistant labour commissioner Chikhale and submitted a memorandum of demands to be sent to the state labour minister. The delegation demanded immediate implementation of eight hours of work notification for Nagpur sales promotion employees and SPEA in city. Chikhale has assured action at the earliest.
Deshpande, Vishal Joshi, the joint general secretary, addressed the MRs. MSMRA activists will be staging another demonstration on Wednesday in front of the collector office and submitting a memorandum for the ministry of labour, ministry of chemical & fertilizers, ministry of health and family welfare of central government.