Professional Documents
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5 KOLKATA
FMRAI NEWS
Rs.3
1 JANUARY 2015
Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh;
Odisha; Rajasthan; Kerala and
West Bengal. Memoranda were
submitted to the companys
management.
Following the bilateral
understanding, reached and
signed on 20 September at
Mumbai
between
the
management of Elder and
FMRAIs Welfare Committee for
resolving 73 field workers mass
transfer cases; payment of due
salaries and expenses; and reopening of the web portal for
reporting, FMRAI postponed the
Elder field workers March to
Mumbai programme. ( see
FMRAI News, November,
2014). Further, the Welfare
Committee through its letter
dated 9 October urged upon the
management to hold emergent
meeting for resolving remaining
Wyeth-Pfizer
Settlements
FMRAI NEWS
JANUARY 2015
STATE NEWS
FMRAI NEWS
l JANUARY 2015 l
Resist Multinational
Aggression
FMRAIs national working committee meeting held at Bhopal in
November, 2014 decided massive mobilization of field workers before
US FDA (Food & Drug Administration) office at New Delhi in March,
2015 against growing attack by the multinational drug companies
particularly on the Indian drug companies on their export of
medicines, on the Indian Patents law and on the Indian drug pricing
regulatory authorities. FMRAIs general council meeting (GCM)
scheduled to be held in February at Jalgaon will concretize the
details. Prior to this, as a part of mobilization and public campaign,
field workers will observe Protest Day on 19 January all over the
country. Against increasing market monopolization by the
multinational drug cartel to impose patent regime through back
door; against Central governments appeasement policy towards
these MNCs; and against high rise of medicine prices, massive
mobilization of medical and sales representatives is planned before
USFDA office at Delhi in defence of countrys sovereignty, selfreliance in pharma sector and people of the country.
MNCs are desperate for their survival. They have lost substantial
market in Europe, USA and in other industrially developed countries
due to global economic meltdown and austerity measures by
respective governments particularly in healthcare sector. They have
further became restive as an estimated $230-billion patented drugs
(which they call brands) going out of patents in US by 2015 which
prompted them in search of newer markets and are, therefore, eyeing
the Indian pharma market to sell their off patented drugs (which
they call generics). But the MNCs are finding it difficult due to the
presence of Indian laws, Indian regulatory system and strong Indian
companies who export around 40% medicines to West.
The multinational aggressiveness is evident from series of
developments in recent past. The powerful US drug lobby set up
FDA offices in Delhi, Mumbai and in some other states and wants to
apply US law in India. Using the FDA, MNCs are putting trade barriers
for Indian companies to export cheaper medicines manufactured in
India on the plea that Indian medicines are sub-standard and
issued notices to major Indian drug exporters. Why US law will
apply in India? The existing Indian law, DCGI, state drug control
authorities are sufficient to penalize the producers of substandard
drugs. If there is weakness in the law, Indian Parliament should
correct it. This is posing threat to countrys sovereignty.
Further, despite Indian Patents law was amended in 2005 to
make it TRIPS compliant, yet, under pressure from Obama
administration, following Narendra Modis US trip, constituted a
think tank on 24 October to draft the National Intellectual Property
Rights Policy replacing the three-member group of renowned
academics constituted in July and their draft national IPR policy!
The constituents of the think tank, experts say, not only lack
requisite expertise, they have corporate allegiance and represent
corporate law firms. One of the think tank members, Pratibha M.
Singh, who represented Swedish company Ericsson in its patent
infringement case against Micromax; took brief for pharma major
Gilead on Hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi, in Patent Controllers Office in
Delhi! Multinational drug cartels are exerting pressure on Indian
government to amend Patent law through backdoor ignoring Indian
Parliament, endangering countrys sovereignty and self-reliance.
On the drug pricing area, the mounted pressure of multinational
drug lobby on the Indian government is clearly visible. Editorial of
November, 2014 issue of FMRAI News noted, despite the high price
of medicines, Central government in phases diluted the price control
mechanism, the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) under pressure
from drug lobby. Through DPCO, 2013, the Central government left
the price determination to the market. Just before Modi left for his
US trip, Central government on 22 September withdrew its 10 July
order of NPPA which brought 108 formulations under price caps.
Now, with slashing down of health budget by around 20%, hitherto
which was paltry 1% of GDP compared to 8.3% of USA or 3% of
China, again under the influence of multinationals, the common
people will suffer the most.
Medical and sales representatives of the country under the
banner of FMRAI will continue to raise their voice to defeat the
onslaughts of the multinationals together with other democratic
and patriotic sections of the society.
2
Condolence
Comrade Abhijit Kar
Comrade Abhijit
Kar, 40, a field
worker working in
Svizera Healthcare
and a member of
Berhampur unit of OSRU died
in a tragic road accident on 25
December, 2014 while returning
from Phulbani. He left behind
his old parents, wife and a
minor daughter studying in
standard V.
FMRAI
mourns
the
untimely death of Comrade
Abhijit Kar and sends heartfelt
condolence to the bereaved
family.
Strike in Odisha
Welfare Department to look
into the matter.
After patient waiting for four
months, OSRU filed a writ
petition in the High Court at
Cuttack on 23 July, 2013
against the state of Odisha,
represented through the Chief
Secretary,
Odisha;
the
Secretary, Department of
Health and Family Welfare,
Odisha; the Revenue Divisional
Commissioner,
Southern
Division, Berhampur; and the
Superintendent, MKCG Medical
College
and
Hospital,
Berhampur, Odisha against the
said order. During the
pendency of the case in the
High Court, the Health
Secretary, Government of
Odisha issued notification on 31
August, 2013 promulgating
complete ban on the entry of the
sales promotion employees in
all government hospitals and
medical colleges. A state level
convention on Right to Work
was organized by OSRU on 28
December,
2013
at
Bhubaneswar and a resolution
was adopted deciding a days
strike on 15 January, 2014.
Accordingly, the field workers
went on strike opposing the
state governments prohibitory
order on their rightful work;
against the attack on profession
and identity of the sales
promotion employees; and
ignoring
the
labour
commissioners unlawful and
audaciously issued notice
against strike.
Under
the
above
background,
the
state
governments
gazette
notification dated 18 September
demanded all round protest and
the field workers under the
banner of OSRU responded
befittingly. Field workers, all
over the country, extended their
from page-1
Rally at Bargarh
solidarity to the striking field
workers of Odisha.
On 9 December, field workers
in all districts except Cuttack and
Bhubaneswar staged massive
peaceful dharnas in front of the
government
hospitals,
organized huge rallies and
submitted memoranda to the
Chief
Minister
through
respective
district
administrations. On the day,
more than 300 members of
Cuttack and Bhubaneswar
staged dharna in front of the
State Legislative Assembly at
Bhubaneswar. On 10 December,
more than 700 members from
different districts participated in
a colourful procession in the
state capital Bhubaneswar
covering the main thoroughfare
which drew attention of the
common people. The rally was
culminated in a mass meeting
in front of the main administrative
FMRAI NEWS
COUNCIL NEWS
STATE NEWS
from page-1
Wyeth-Pfizer Settlements
In the first settlement, the existing two grades were upwardly
revised by adding Rs.300 and Rs. 760 which were further revised
in the second settlement by adding another Rs. 300 and Rs. 600 at
the entry points of two grades respectively. Annual rate of increment
were also increased ranging from Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 in the first
settlement and again by Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 in the second settlement
in all steps. Further, in the first settlement, Rs. 967 was added in
all six slabs of additional fixed dearness allowance (AFDA) and in
the second settlement, all other salary components like Additional
Salary, New FDA, AFDA, New Fixed Special Allowance were
merged into a single component as Supplementary Salary.
All the six slabs of house rent allowance, in the first settlement,
were increased minimum by Rs. 757 and Rs. 1319 being the maximum,
based on service seniority. In the second settlement, the three
allowance components namely house rent, Kit and education were
merged as house rent allowance with upward improvement in all six
service slabs. All the six slabs of LTA and medical were improved
upwardly minimum by Rs.5040 and Rs.6048 and by Rs.8796 and
Rs.10548 as maximum respectively per annum in the first settlement.
While both these components remained unchanged in the second
settlement, medical allowance would be paid on monthly basis in
place of existing annual payment. In case of daily allowances, in the
first settlement, headquarter allowance was increased to Rs. 184, exheadquarter to 200 and out station to Rs.209 which were further
increased to Rs. 225, Rs. 270 and Rs.285 respectively in the second
settlement. Field workers working in metro cities would get additionally
Rs 10 in headquarter working as metro city allowance in the first
settlement which was increased to Rs.30 in the second settlement.
Group medical hospitalization; Group personal accident insurance and
Group life insurance were substantially improved upwardly.
With the settlements of charter of demands, it was mutually
agreed that the disputes relating to the charters of demands cease
to exist and FMRAI would approach the concerned Tribunals for
appropriate action.
Arrears arising out of the settlements shall be paid within sixty
days after adjustment of Rs. 4000 paid as interim relief per month.
On behalf of Wyeth Limited, Partha Ghosh, Sr. director-trade
core & WHC; Lakshmi Nandkarni, Sr. director-HR; Anup Godbole,
business lead-WHC; Arun Narang, sales head-WHC; A. Kotwal,
Sr. manager-HR; S.C.Thevar, RSM; S.Gaikwad, manager-HR; and
Anil DSouza, independent consultant and on behalf of Consultative
Committee, Aniruddha Choudhury, Sudip Roy, Devasish Roy, R
K Nyati, K M Surendran and A S Gulagi signed the settlements.
Lupin
Negotiation on FMRAIs charter of demands began between
the committee and the management during 7-8 October, 2013.
Second round of discussion was held on 19 December which is
still in preliminary stage. On conclusion, this will be the eighth
successive wage settlement in Lupin.
JANUARY 2015
from page-4
OTPI Convention
December and adopted a
resolution which was submitted
to the labour ministr y,
Government of West Bengal on
16 December. 16 participants
discussed on the resolution
placed by WBMSRU vice
president Gautam Sengupta.
The resolution contained the
issues and raised specific
demands
concerning
recruitment of sales promotion
employees through contractors
in violation of Contract Labour
(Abolition & Regulation) Act by
the multinational FMCG
companies,
statutory
appointment letters, leave
facilities as per SPE Act;
Women Convention
67 women field workers of WBMSRU from
Darjeeling, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Howrah,
Hoogly, South 24 Parganas and Kolkata attended
their 3rd state convention at Entally Academy,
Kolkata on 23 November. AIDWAs state
secretary Minati Ghosh inaugurated. She
narrated in details how the corporatemultinationals, being emboldened by the policy
trajectories of the successive governments at
the centre, are flouting of labour laws. She
expressed her concern over increasing drug
prices and the sufferings of common people of
the country. She also mentioned that, in West
Bengal, there is no security for women under
the present Trinamool-led state government.
WBMSRUs vice president and women subcommittee convener Arpita Mitra Roy placed a
OSRU
District Conferences
Sambalpur
134 delegates of OSRUs Sambalpur district
attended their 13th conference, held at Nari Seva
Sadan on 9 November. District president Amiya
Panda hoisted the flag. CITUs district secretary
Sushanta Pattanayak inaugurated the
conference.
Reports placed by Sanjay Kumar Panda,
secretary and Partha Sarathi Sahu, treasurer
were unanimously adopted following discussion
by 13 participants. Satyabrata Mohapatra,
secretary, OSRU addressed the participants.
Others who addressed include OSRUs vice
president Sanjay Kumar and its state committee
member Manoj Panda. A resolution in support
of state-wide field workers strike during 9-10
December against the ban on work in medical
Balasore
92 OSRU members of its Balasore unit
attended their 13 th district conference on 30
November which was inaugurated by CITUs
state vice president Janardan Pati. OSRUs
general secretary Subhankar Das addressed.
Pradipta Kumar Panda, former MLA of the
state; Nikunja Basantaray, CITU leader and
others greeted the participants. A 15 member
district committee was unanimously elected
with Rashmi Ranjan Das as president,
Sangram Keshari Mallick as secretary and
Sitaram Nayak as treasurer. A presidium
consisting of Bijay Krushna Das, Amar Kumar
Acharya and Rashmi Ranjan Das conducted
the proceedings.
3
JANUARY 2015
FMRAI NEWS
COUNCIL NEWS
STATE NEWS
CRU
Agartala
Elamaram Kareem inaugurating the conference
Kerala state general secretary and former
India conveners; Debajyoti Roy, Seshnath B
commerce minister of the states LDF government
Tiwari, Srihari Gore and A. Jayaganesh as zonal
conveners of east, north, south and west; and
Elamaram Kareem. He briefed about the present
Shashi Prakash, U D Upadhaya, Pinaki
onslaughts on the working class following the neoliberal policy trajectories of the central
Chakravarty and Kiran Kumar Chaudhury as
government which are now being pursued more
respective joint zonal conveners.
vigorously by the Narendra Modi government. He
The meeting also constituted Consultative and
urged upon the participants to carry forward the
Negotiating committees for both FIP and Diabetix
tasks of the united working class movement
divisions. All India and joint all India conveners
beside their own organizational programmes.
are common constituents for the committees in
both the divisions. Besides them, four zonal
FMRAIs president R Viswanathan spoke on the
importance of council movement and the future
conveners will represent committees for FIP
tasks before the members in the background of
whereas four joint zonal conveners namely Abhra
Chakraborty, Vikas Mishra, T. P. Nikhil and Raj
the present scenario.
Kumar Sharma will represent in the Diabetix
Report placed by all India convener Dipak
Bhattacharjee was unanimously adopted after
committees. FMRAIs joint general secretary
Dipak Bhattacharjee will represent all the
discussion by 26 participants. Audited accounts
report and credential report were also adopted.
committees for both the divisions.
WBMSRU
OTPI State Convention
UPMSRA
members
in a joint
rally in
front of
state
Assembly
at
Lucknow
Printed by D P Dubey, published by D P Dubey on behalf of Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Associations of India and printed at Satyajug
Employees Co-operative Industrial Society Ltd. 13 Prafulla Sarkar Street, Kolkata-700 072 and published at 60-A, Charu Avenue Kolkata-700 033
EDITOR : D P DUBEY