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60-A Charu Avenue • Kolkata-700 033 • Phone : 24242862 / 24244943E-mail : fmrainews@indiatimes.com

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Member of the highest committee, polit bureau, of theCommunist Party of India (Marxist) from the day of itsformation; leader of the working class and democraticmovement in the country, longest serving chief ministerand highly esteemed national leader Comrade Jyoti Basupassed away on 17 January, 2010. On his passing away,the working class, other democratic sections and thecountry lost a visionary leader.

After completing his education in London andbecoming a barrister, Comrade Jyoti Basu returned toIndia in 1940 and became a full time worker of theCommunist Party to work among the railway workers andjoined national liberation struggle. He became VicePresident of CITU from the day of its formation in 1970and guided the working class movement in the country.

Comrade Jyoti Basu was elected from workersconstituency in Bengal Provincial Assembly during Britishrule and after independence continued to win all electionsin West Bengal Legislative Assembly with only exceptionin 1972 when rigged election was boycotted. Hecampaigned throughout the country against semi-fascistrule in West Bengal during 1972-77 cautioning againstextension of this attack on democracy in India as countrysaw later in the imposition of emergency rule.

As chief minister of Left Front government his greatcontribution was agrarian reform with distribution of landto the landless, in giving legal record of rights to the sharecroppers and deepening democracy through panchayatinstitutions which later was accepted as model for 73rd

Constitutional amendment in the country. He laidfoundation of industrialization of West Bengal despitediscrimination in licensing by the central government. Hewas a great architect of coalition politics in West Bengaland in the country always emphasizing on policies andprogrammes for such coalition. He stood resolutely forunity and independence of the country and India as ademocratic federal secular republic. He was totallycommitted to socialism and worked in his whole life timefor its achievement in India.

Comrade Jyoti Basu had association with FMRAI andits movement. He guided FMRAI functionaries to fightreformists and collaborationists who were defeated in1976 in its Nagpur conference. He addressed theAICAPEF’s conference at Kolkata in 1982. He contributedarticle in FMRAI’s commemorating booklet on the birthcentenary of Comrade B. T. Ranadive.

FMRAI salutes Comrade Jyoti Basu and dips its flagin his memory.

Long live Comrade Jyoti Basu.

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Inauguration of FMRAI’s 22nd

Conference, held at Chennai from10 to 13 January, 2010, began withhoisting of flag by its president R.Vishwanathan and paying floraltributes to martyrs. Receptioncommittee’s chairman and CITU’s allIndia secretary A. K. Padmanabhanwelcomed the delegates and guests inthe inauguration of the conference atC. D. Nayagam higher secondaryschool ground.

CITU’s all India President Dr.M.K.Pandhe inaugurated theconference. Highly respected amongmedical practitioners and patron of thereception committee Prof. (Dr.) K. V.Thiruvengadam also addressed.Others who addressed the inauguralsession were Tamilnadu statesecretary of Indian Medical AssociationDr. Ravishankar, Chennai districtsecretary of Tamilnadu GovernmentDoctors Association Dr. S. Kasi, Dr.Rex Sargunam of Tamilnadu HealthDevelopment Association, AICCTUTamilnadu state joint secretary S.Kumar, FMRAI’s president R.Vishwanathan, its general secretaryD.P.Dubey and J S Majumdar.Progressive songs were presented byBank Employees Art Troupe. Asouvenir was released by CITU’sTamilnadu state general secretary A.Soundarajan.

Delegates’ session began atKamaraj Arangam auditorium withpresentation of report by general

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secretary D. P. Dubey. 3 years workreport noted world multipolarity asagainst unipolarity for globalisedeconomic world order under U.S.leadership. The workers and toilingpeople of India are standing for multi-polarity to fight against globalization;whereas Manmohan Singhgovernment, ruling parties andclasses are pushing ahead towardsunipolar world under U.S. leadership.The situation further aggravated dueto world economic crisis and its impacton workers and other toiling sections.

National situation noted rapidlygrowing disparity of national wealth;increasing attacks on workers rights,employment and livelihood, includingunprecedented price rise of foodgrains and other essentialcommodities; and increasing unitedresistance by workers and other toilingsections. Ruling classes’ policies arealso giving ground for sectarianmovements on communal, caste andregional basis breaking the unity andunited battle of the toiling sections.

The report noted rapid changes inpharma industry due to globalization,neo-liberal economic policies and asfall out of world economic crisis duringthis period resulting in rapidlyspreading corporatisation of healthcare, failure to ensure essential drugs’availability and shooting up drugprices beyond the reach of commonman. Bribery and black-marketing arebecoming the main instrument of

pharma business creating conditionsfor escalation of fake drugs.

3 years period has seen FMRAI inseveral general and company-wise allIndia and state struggles and strikesof the field workers facing attacks,victimizations, hurdles and havingachievements. FMRAI’s demandswere taken up for the first time in IndianLabour Conference; six stateamended section 2(s) of I.D.Act inWest Bengal pattern. Some statesnotified minimum wages. Movementadvanced in enforcement and legalprogress on 8 hours work; introductionof legal identity cards; emphasis onMay Day under N. I. Act and on salesclosing. Council and relatedmovement also developed in morenumber of companies. Bilateralsettlements and tribunal awardsachieved in favour of field workers; inre-categorization of ‘sales officers’ andregularization of contract labour underprincipal employers. OSG movementdeveloped while sectional movementremained stagnant.

The period also saw rapid growthof membership, spread oforganizations in new areas andcompanies, defeat of the attempt ofdisruption in some states andorganisaional consolidation andnetworking.

49 delegates from affiliated unitsand all India councils participated inthe discussion on general secretaries

See page-2

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� February 2010 �

Oppose electronic reporting system

During FMRAI’s conference at Chennai, a special sessionwas held for exclusive discussion on the serious problemsfaced by the field workers due to increasingly and

unilaterally imposed electronic reporting system by severalcompanies in pharmaceutical industry. The issue was first raisedin the Patna general council meeting in 2005. In 2009 generalcouncil meeting at Shillong the issue was again raised where itwas decided to formulate FMRAI’s firm policy in this regard.

The discussion in Chennai conference on problems arisingout of electronic reporting system through email and mobilephones with embedded software can be broadly put in followingcategories - (1) the locking system imposing undeclared lockouton the work of the field workers; (2) wage cuts on the plea of notgetting reports; (3) increasing unlimited workload with regularlychanging formats of reporting and introducing newer areas; (4)there is no column for not working for reasons of strike, bandhsetc. and, then imposing lockout (5) non-availability of facilitiesand absence of connectivity; (6) causing extra expenses frompockets of the field workers; (7) absence of adequate training; (8)ignoring legal requirements and violation of laws; (9)Theunorganized sections of field workers are the primary targets ofthe managements and are most oppressed section.

First let us consider FMRAI’s general approach to this problem.Patna general council clearly decided the approach that FMRAI isfirmly opposed to electronic reporting system as it is used as aninstrument of exploitation of field workers, attacking on their legaland conventional rights and causing hardship. Misuse of thistechnology is the general outcome of globalization and neo-liberaleconomic policy.

Bt brinjal is a development of science and outcome of geneticengineering. Yet, it is opposed as its side effect has not beenproperly assessed. Similarly, the acute side effects of electronicreporting system had never been assessed. Some softwarecompanies, as per the dictates of pharma companies, preparedsoftware and the service providers made radio connectivity. Howfar the pharma companies and service providers are following theradio connectivity protocol with security compliance is unknown.Even the purchase documents of handsets are not provided tothe field workers exposing them to hazards in case of loss andsecurity investigation.

By locking system, the companies are imposing illegal lockouton field workers in violation of Industrial Disputes Act. Wages cannot be connected to receipt of daily reports, be it manual orelectronic. Payment of wages has to be ensured within seventh ofnext month. Management may invoke disciplinary procedure incase of non-compliance of responsibility, but can not punish bynon-payment of wages. To maintain hard copies of work report,leave applications and submission of statement of expenses aslegal documents can not be ignored in case of electronic reportingsystem.

Therefore, FMRAI opposes electronic reporting system anddemanded of the central government to amend SPE Act forstatutory working rules under the Act which is long pendingdemand. Chennai conference decided agitation, inter alia, inpursuance of this demand.

In the meantime those managements who want to discuss withFMRAI’s committees on electronic reporting system, care mustbe taken by FMRAI members to ensure that all side effects ofelectronic reporting be removed, legal rights and requirementsare strictly adhered to, formats are bilaterally agreed to ensurethat workload is not increased and hardship removed, it is notconnected with wage or disciplinary action and propercompensation and training are given.

FMRAI is not accepting electronic reporting system and askingfor reform, FMRAI is opposing it to remove it as an instrument ofexploitation. The capacity and form of collective resistance dependon organisational and movemental level and preparation.Increasing attack on field workers through electronic reportingsystem requires industry-wise opposition building movement forstatutory working rules under SPE Act. �

CONDOLENCE

Comrade Rohit R. Rathi C o m r a d e

Rohit R Rathi(27), working forWin Medicare atNagpur andmember of

MSMRA, passed away on 21January due to Swine flu after19 days struggle on ventilationin a city hospital. He was onlyson of his family and wasrecently married. FMRAImourns the premature death ofComrade Rohit and sendsheartfelt condolence to thebereaved family members. Comrade Shahab Akhatar

C o m r a d eShahab Akhtar(40), working forUSV and workingc o m m i t t e emember of

MPMSRU’s Bhopal unit, diedon the spot along with thedriver when the car collidedhead on with a truck. He wastraveling to Indore to attendcompany’s programme. He issurvived by his wife, two minordaughters, old parents and anunmarried sister. He was theonly earning member of thefamily. MPMSRU membersextended all help andcooperation to complete allformalities following the deathof Comrade Shahab. TheBhopal unit demanded of thevice president of the company,who had come to attend thefuneral ceremony, foradequate compensation to thefamily. FMRAI mourns theuntimely death of comradeShahab Akhtar and conveysheartfelt condolence to hisbereaved family members.

Comrade Subrata SarkarC o m r a d e

Subrata Sarkar(49), a field workerof SalveoPharmaceuticals,died due illness

on 17 January. ComradeSarkar was a member ofWBMSRU’s Cooch Behar unit.He left behind his onlydaughter and wife. FMRAI unitmourns the demise ofComrade Subrata Sarkar andconveys heartfelt condolenceto his bereaved family.

Complete trade union unitydemonstrating class unitywas exhibited when all

central trade unions - CITU,AITUC, AICCTU, UTUC, UTUC(LS), TUCC, INTUC, HMS andBMS - decided to join handsagainst central government’economic policy raising 5 pointsdemands which include(1)Against rising prices ofessential commoditie, includingfood grains, for universalisation ofPDS; (2)Against continuing joblosses of millions of workersacross the sectors owing torecession and economicslowdown to be arrested bylinkage of employment protectionwith the stimulus package beingoffered and for augmenting publicinvestment in infrastructure; (3)Toprevent non-implementation ofand rampant violation of basiclabour laws by strict enforcement;(4)To remove inadequacy of

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����������������provision and scheme under theUnorganised Workers’ SocialSecurity Act, 2008; and (5)To stopthe move of the government fordisinvestment of shares in profitmaking public sector enterprises.

In pursuance of the abovedemands national protest day wasobserved on 28 October followedby dharna before the parliamenton 16 December. These will befollowed by lakhs of workersparticipating in satyagraha and jailbharo on 5 March 2010.Enforcement of labour lawsincluding trade union, collectivebargaining rights and enforcementof SPE Act are vital to field workersmovement. FMRAI called upon thefield workers of the country to jointhis important united struggle of theworkers and make 5th March JailBharo programme a completesuccess by their own participationin thousands throughout thecountry. �

and treasurer’s reports which,after replies, were adoptedunanimously.

The conference unanimouslyadopted several resolutionsincluding a resolution on statelevel campaigns, 2 days country-wide strike and a massivedemonstration in Delhi inpursuance of 16 point demandsto central government, stategovernments and employers.

The conference adoptedresolution onwomen fieldworkers inpursuance ofdemands tocentral and stategove rnmen ts ,district labourofficials and thee m p l o y e r sp r o p o s i n gagitation bywomen fieldw o r k e r ssupported by thefield workers ingeneral.

T h econference alsoa d o p t e dr e s o l u t i o nagainst price rise,on climatechange and on people’s demandsof medicines. Against attack onfield workers and on demands,resolutions were adopted againstmanagements of CFL, Organon-Fulford and Biological E.Conference had a special sessionon acute problems arising out ofunilaterally imposed electronicreporting system in the industry.The conference unanimouslyamended FMRAI’s constitution

raising the number of workingcommittee members, limiting totalnumber of elected delegates tomaximum 1000 plus ex-officioand 1% nominated delegates.The constitution was made moredemocratic.

The conference approved thecredential committee report andunanimously elected 82 membersworking committee with 20 officebearers. It also unanimouslyelected a general council

consisting of 300elected membersfrom amongst thed e l e g a t e srepresenting allaffiliated stateunits and 82w o r k i n gc o m m i t t e em e m b e r s ,including theoffice bearers,plus 29 all Indiaconveners.

R e c e p t i o nc o m m i t t e ep r e s e n t e dmementos to theguests, all Indiaand state leaders.The conferencewas greeted bythe all India

general secretary of DYFI TapasSinha. The conference adoptedresolution greeting the host unitTNMSRA for tireless work and forsuccessfully hosting theconference.

The newly elected generalcouncil met for short t imeauthorizing the workingcommittee to update the agendaof action and prepare annualtask document as road map,2010.�

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����

������On 12 January evening,

editor-in-chief of The HinduN. Ram inaugurated thelaunching of FMRAI’swebsite www.fmrai.org withenthusiastic response fromthe 1200 plus delegatesand guests in the packedKamraj Arangamauditorium at Chennai. Onthis occasion, N.Ramdelivered popular lecture on‘Media and Politics’.

From page-1

FMRAI’s 22ND CONFERENCE

Nagalandamemded I. D. Act

By an extraordinary gazetteNagaland governmentnotified state amendment

of I. D. Act in West Bengal patternfor direct inclusion of all salespromotion employees of allindustries as ‘workmen’. With this,seven state governments ofAssam, Tripura and Nagaland inNorth East; West Bengal in theEast; Paunjab in North; andAndhra Pradesh and Kerala inSouth amended I. D. Act for salespromotion so far. Other state unitsof FMRAI are vigorously pursuingwith respective state governmentfor such amendment. �

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�

Office of theCommissioner of

Labour of the Government ofGoa issued notice toManaging DirectorRamchandra Hegde andDirector Cyril D’Souza on 13January, 2010 that‘irregularities mentionedbelow were observed’ anddirected ‘to rectify theirregularities immediatelyand report compliancewithin 07 days direct to theCommissioner, Labour andEmployment’ and that‘failing which legal actionby way of Prosecution /Claim applicable will betaken against you / yourmanagement.’ In the reportof the SPE Act inspector,‘Number of SalesPromotion Employees –104 (MRs) + 331 (BEs)’ havebeen recorded. Inspectionreport noted all 5irregularities i.e. not issuingappointment letters inprescribed form; notmaintaining registers andservice books and leaveaccounts.

So far complaints by 160local units of CRU,WBMSRU, BSSRU andOSRU in east; UPMSRA,RMSRU, DSMRO andPunjab state unit in north;MPMSRU, MSMRA andGoaMRA in west; andAPMSRU, TNMSRA,KSM&SRA and KMSRA insouth lodged complaints todistrict labour officers onviolation of SPE Act by thecompany and notices havebeen issued to the company

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������������������������On 28 December, 2009

Khandelwal Laboratoriesinformed the president of FMRAI, (thecompany) ‘transferred withimmediate effect all the Field Forceof the Associated Companiesacross the country to the principalcompany viz KhandelwalLaboratories Pvt. Ltd., and re-designated as MedicalRepresentative, thus meeting withyour long pending demand.’

Since 2002, KhandelwalLaboratories and its associated 6companies started recruiting salespromotion employees as ‘SalesOfficers, Territory Sales Executives,Field Sales Officers, BusinessDevelopment Executives’ and hadbeen refusing to negotiate and settleFMRAI’s charter of demands for allsales promotion employees whichwas kept pending since 2002 forcingthe field workers to launch series ofagitation including strikes. In themeantime the company lost business,sold out its major products and hadto reduce the total number of salespromotion employees.

7 years struggle ended in abipartite settlement on 10 November,2009 covering all sales promotionemployees. Following that all salespromotion employees weretransferred from associatedcompanies to KhandelwalLaboratories and re-designated themas Medical Representatives withcommon service conditions. Thisshould be an eye opener and lessonto some other companies in theindustry who are following the illegaland discarded path of Khandelwal.�

by 64 district labour officialsfrom almost all states. Labourofficials of at least six districts- Bongaigaon (Assam),Balasore (Orissa), Delhi,Bhatinda (Punjab), Jalgaonand Kolhapur (Maharashtra)issued final notices forproduction of relevant copiesof appointment letters,registers and service books forinspection by SPE Actinspectors before taking stepsfor prosecution.

OSG movement by councilsubcommittees will launchcampaign and protestmovement during 4-6 Februaryand Cosme Farma fieldworkers will resort to strike andstage dharna in respectivedistricts on 6 February. Thefield workers of the companywill resort to zone-wise relaystrikes again in March.

The FMRAI’s conferenceadopted a resolutiondemanding resolution of largenumber of victimisation by wayof transfers and termination ofservices and for settling allpending issues bilaterally bothfor MRs and BEs.�

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���������������������On All India Strike

and Rally22nd Conference of the

Federation of Medical and SalesRepresentatives Associations ofIndia (FMRAI), held at Chennai 10-13 January, 2010;

RESOLVED Two DaysCountry-wide Strike by all salespromotion employees of thecountry; campaign among thepeople, demonstration in districtsand states and a massive All IndiaDemonstration in front of theUnion Labour Ministry at NewDelhi in pursuance of demands;

To the Central Government� Statutory working rules in the Sales

Promotion Employees (Conditionsof service) Act, 1976 and its Rulesby amendment in the Parliament;

� Constitution of an AdvisoryCommittee on implementation ofSales Promotion Employees Actand Rules with inclusion of FMRAIin it;

� Immediate extension of SalesPromotion Employees (Conditionsof Services ) Act, 1976 to SalesPromotion Employees of industriesother than the pharmaceuticals byCentral Government’s notification;

� For increasing the penalty uptoimprisonment on violation of SPEAct and the Rules by theemployers;

� Exclusive enforcement of 1982amendment of Section 2(J) ofIndustrial Disputes Act, 1947defining ‘sales promotion’ as‘industry’;

� Amendment of Section 2(s) ofIndustrial Disputes Act, 1947 bycategorical inclusion of ‘salespromotion’ in the definition of‘workman’ in Section 2(s) ofIndustrial Disputes Act, 1947;

To the State Governments� For state amendment of I.D.Act for

coverage of all sections of salespromotion employees in remainingstates;

� Fixation, upward revision andeffective enforcement of minimumwages;

� Notification on 8 hours workfixation;

� Recognition of FMRAI’s stateunions’ identity cards as only validdocument for pharmaceutical salespromotion in hospitals, medicalpractitioners and traders;

� Notification of May Day as publicholiday under N.I.Act;

� Elimination of sales closing violatingtime limit under Shops andEstablishment Act and Drug Act.

To the Employers� Against violation of SPE Act

particularly on issuing appointmentletter and maintaining registersunder the Act and Rules;

� Against their attempt of de-unionisation and victimisation oftrade union functionaries includingtransfers and termination ofservices;

� Against unilateral change inservice and working conditionsincluding electronic reporting andcontrolling, forcing work freeze,wage freeze, wage cuts etc.

� Facilities to women field workersfor working in home town and forleading married and family life.APPEALS to Central Trade Unions

and Industrial Federations andUnions; medical practitioners andtheir associations; pharmaceuticaltraders and their associations;organisations of women, youths,students and professionals for theirsupport of demands and the strikeand other agitations.

On work relatedviolence on women

field workers by the employersThe 22nd Conference of Federation

of Medical and Salesrepresentatives’ Associations of India(FMRAI), being held at Chennai from10 to 13 January, 2010;NOTES with grave concern,� Violence committed on Women

Sales Promotion Employees bythe employers of thepharmaceutical industry imposingunwritten anti-marriage conditionsin their conditions of service;

� Forcing separation from nuclearfamily including husband andchildren;

� Depriving maternity leave;� Forcing many Women Sales

Promotion Employees out of jobon getting married;

� Causing sexual harassment at thework places by the management;

�Discriminating in wage and otherbenefits including incentives;CONSIDERING the fact that

despite Supreme Court judgement,the employers in the pharmaceuticalindustry have not constituted anycommittee, inclusive of therepresentatives of women fieldworkers, to consider the appealagainst victimization andharassments and violence on themby the management; and

FURTHER CONSIDERING thatthe Women Sales PromotionEmployees have to undergo hardfield work which require proper restand recovery for longer maternityleave period;

DEMANDS of the Government ofIndia for six months maternity leavefor women workers, including theSales Promotion Employeesundertaking outdoor work;

DEMANDS of the StateGovernments to constitutecommittees inclusive ofrepresentative of the Women SalesPromotion Employees, to hear andaddress the appeal of the SalesPromotion Employees againstharassment and violence committedagainst them;

DEMNDS of the DistrictGovernment authorities for crèchefacilities for the Women SalesPromotion Employees;

DEMANDS of the employers tofacilitate the Women SalesPromotion Employees� To have peaceful married life;� To provide maternity leave for

Women Sales PromotionEmployees;

� To constitute committee againstharassment and violence againstWomen SPEs which will haverepresentatives of Women SalesPromotion Employees; and

� Not to make any genderdiscrimination with respect towage and other earnings;RESOLVES to make

representation to District GovernmentAuthorities, State and Centralgovernments in pursuance of thedemands followed by agitation byWomen Sales Promotion Employeessupported by all sections of SalesPromotion Employees in general; and

CALLS upon the Women SalesPromotion Employees to organizethemselves under the banner ofFMRAI and fight for the abovedemands and calls upon the fieldworkers in general to extend allsupport in organizing and buildingagitation by the women salespromotion employees;

President - R. ViswanathanVice Presidents - L. N. Chakraborty,

Deepak Bhattacharya,Sourav Bose, D. M.Deshpande andG. Madhu

General Secretary - D. P. DubeyJoint GeneralSecretaries - Aloke Kumar Banerjee

K. B. KadamTreasurer - Alok GanguliSecretaries - R. P. Singh,

T. Kameshwar Rao,V. Bijayan,Sanjay Chatterjee,Bijan Das,Santanu Chatterjee,Partha Rakshit,S. Khandelwal,C. R. Sonawane,R. Ramesh Sunder

Working Committee MembersAmitava Guha, S. R. Roy, S. N. Ganguly, Apurba

K. Ghosh, Anil Wadhwan, Arpita Mitra Roy (Centre);Robin Dev, M. S. Som, Partha Sarkar, Arnab Nag,Debasish Chatterjee (West Bengal); RahulPurakayastha, Jamini Bar Baruah (Assam); PradipKumar Roy (Tripura); Ratan Chakraborty, DebasishDey (Jharkhand); Sunil Jha, Kalyan Acharya (Bihar);Nikhil Chatterjee, Subhankar Das (Orissa); RakeshPandey, R. S. Bajpai, Subrata Banerjee, S. C. Awasthi,

Neeraj Srivastava, Sanjay Narang (Uttar Pradesh); N.P. Saini (Delhi); H. Syal, Mahesh Jakhar, DeepakKhanna, J. S. Naruka (Rajasthan); Shiv Kumar,Gurpreet Singh (Punjab-Chandigarh); one to be co-opted from Haryana; N. Kaushal (Himachal Pradesh);S. K. Talukdar, Shailender Sharma (Madhya Pradesh);Naveen Gupta, N. P. Shukla (Chattishgarh); SaleemPatel, Vivek Sawant, T. V. Sridhar, NarayanDeshpande, Deepak Papdeja (Maharashtra); RajuHiremath (Goa); one to be co-opted from Gujarat; A.G. Rajamohan, Mukund Kulkarni, U. V. Krishnaiah, I.Raju Bhatt and one to be co-opted (Andhra Pradesh);G. Gopinath, H. Sriram, V. Vasudevan, F. J. Jerome(Tamilnadu); H. J. Suresh, L. M. Peshwa (Karnataka);Paul Verghese, V. V. Raja, P. N. Subramanium and 2to be co-opted (Kerala).

Credential Committee ReportCredential committee report, unanimously

approved by the conference, noted record numberof 1168 delegates and 5 women observers attendingthe conference. 1147 participants were men and 26women from 18 affiliated units in all states and unionterritories in India except Jammu & Kashmir whocould not participate owing to closure of roads dueto heavy snow fall. 1134 participants were frompharmaceuticals and 15 were from other industries.

Highest number 499 was in 31–40 followed by420 in 41–50 age groups. Highest number 418attended FMRAI’s conference for the first time. 274participants have all India, 404 in states, 762 in sub-units; 285 in all India councils and 212 in statecouncils responsibilities. Many participants havemore than one responsibility. �

Office Bearers of FMRAI

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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 SatyajugEmployees 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

Registration No. WBENG/2001/6430 Postal Registration No. KOL RMS/106/2010-2012�������� � !

intervened at least in 12 victimisationissues of women field workers. 9delegates participated in thediscussion, narrated their experienceand enriched the report. The conventionreiterated 12 point demands anddecided to increase women fieldworkers membership, hold subunitsfollowed by state conventions andobserve centenary year of InternationalWomen Day on 8 March this year inbefitting manner.

CITU’s all India secretary andconvener of All India Working Women’sCo-ordination Committee Dr. K.Hemalata, as the main speaker,summed up the convention. Dr.Hemalata emphasized on organizingwomen workers and launch struggle andthrough their own struggles only,supported by the working class anddemocratic movement, they would beable to end discrimination, atrocitiesagainst them and realize their rights.FMRAI’s president R Viswanathan andgeneral secretary D P Dubey alsogreeted the delegates and guided theconvention.

The convention unanimouslyelected 20 members co-ordinationcommittee with Arpita Mitra Roy(convener), Tinka Majhi, SharmistaSaha, Tandrima Sinha (West Bengal);Sharmila Singh (Bihar-Jharkhand);Dwipannita Chakraborty, AnnieGatphos, Sonali Bose (N.E. states);Arati Sahoo (Orissa); Sonia Ghatak,Jyoti Tiwari (Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand); Phultusi Ganguly(Madhya Pradesh-Chattishgarh); MrinalNitin Chinchure, Nandita Arabekar(Maharashtra-Goa); V Nirmala (AndhraPradesh); Siji Satheesh Kumar, ShijiP.A. (Kerala); Rosemary Wingston(Tamilnadu) and two vacancies to befilled up later.

A senior most delegate from WestBengal Sudeshna Mukhopadhyay, whois going to retire from service in Octobernext, was felicitated on this occasion.Sudeshna Mukhopadhyay andRosemary Wingston were in thepresidium. �

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2nd All India Women Field Workers Convention of FMRAI was held on10 January at Comrade Ahilya Rangnekar Hall, Chennai. 55 delegatesfrom West Bengal, Bihar, N. E. states, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,

Goa, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh participated. 11 delegatesreached late and some could not reach from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,Madhya Pradesh and Chattishgarh due to dislocation of railway services.

Tamilnadu state general secretary of AIDWA U. Vasuki inaugurated theconvention. Vasuki pointed out; even today women are discriminated and arevictims of increasing violence in their families, in society and in work places.She emphasized on organizing the women to end discrimination and violence.

FMRAI’s All India Women Field Workers’ Coordination Committeeconvener Arpita Mitra Roy placed the report. First convention was held on6 January, 2008 at Kolkata. Within two years, in different states units ofFMRAI, women field workers committees were formed. FMRAI’s state units

U. Vasuki

Dr. K. Hemalata

Arpita Mitra Roy

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Dr. M. K. Pandhe

N. Ram

A. K. Padmanabhan

Prof. K. V. Thiruvengadam

Tapas Sinha

Cross section of participants in the open session

Progressive song presented by Bank Employees Art Troupe

Gist of speechesDr. M.K.PandhePresident, CITU

Dr. M.K.Pandhe recalled common understanding betweenFMRAI and CITU; greeted for its resolute fight againstmultinationals and for rights; and on 8 hours work in the backgroundof central government’s attempt to introduce 10 hour work a dayon the workers. In weakened position of Left’s role to check, thegovernment and big capital launched bigger attacks on workersand other toiling sections forcing them for bigger struggles. Hesaid, Reserve Bank data showed that richness had grown muchfaster in India with increased number of dollar billionaires, 52persons controlling one fourth of national income. Rising pricesare hitting the common man hard while largest number of hungrypeople is in India. Economic development did not improve humandevelopment. U.N. Human Development Report, 2008 says Indiaranks 134th among 182 countries. On the one side there is ‘shiningIndia’ and on the other side is ‘suffering India’.

Pandhe said that central trade unions decided Jail Bharoprogramme on 5 March pursuing 5 point demands. Unity ofthe workers should be extended at base level. Cause ofexploitation should be fought and then only socialtransformation can take place.

N.RamEdior-in-chief, The Hindu

N. Ram said that the media in India should commit itself toclean ethical principles and recognize its social responsibilitieseven while it asserts its freedom. Quoting Vice President HamidAnsari of ‘hyper-commercialism’ in the industry resulting in theconcept of ‘paid news’ should be addressed both internally bymedia organisations and by civil society by exerting pressure onthe media, he said.

On politics N. Ram said that following 2009 Lok Sabha electionresults, analysts’ prediction of stability, with the return of agovernment with a single dominant party in a coalition, was grossly‘over-interpreted’. Political stability in terms of single dominant partycontrolling government through a coalition was not desirable unlessit rested on clean foundation, prioritizing the needs of hundreds ofmillions of deprived people. (From The Hindu, 13 January, 2010)

Prof. K.V.ThiruvengadamProf. (Dr.) K.V.Thiruvengadam said that more than the

advertisements in the medical journals, direct interaction of arepresentative with doctors plays an important role. Thispartnership will be of exceptional value in advancement of medicalscience and patient care.

Tapas SinhaGeneral Secretary, DYFI

Tapas Sinha, greeting FMRAI’s conference, assured activesupport of DYFI to field workers movement at any time at anyplace. He stressed on the need to develop broad unity andunited struggle for job protection of workers and job creationfor unemployeds.