Over one lakh medical and sales representatives across the country are launching a protest programme from this month to press their charter of demands and to highlight the problems facing the pharmaceutical field due to the Centre's globalisation policy.

State-level rallies and a two-month-long relay strike would be held in response to a call given by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Associations of India (FMRAI), Tamil Nadu Medical and Sales Representatives Association (TNMSRA) office-bearers told this correspondent.

The relay strike, which would begin in Kerala from May 8, would be held in Tamil Nadu from May 12 to 14 and end in West Bengal on June 25, TNMSRA assistant general secretaries R Ramesh Sundar and Ravindran said. The Tamil Nadu state-level rally would be held here April 21 and in other states on different dates.

The demands include reduction of drug prices, steps to check blackmarketing and ensuring minimum wage, bonus and other benefits to the workers. Sundar said the Indian pharmaceutical industry had started losing its self-reliance after the economy was opened and four of the five public sector drug companies, including Indian Drugs and Pharmaceutical Ltd (IDPL), had been closed down.

TNMSRA secretary P M Murali said the prices of several life-saving drugs had shot up and the changes to the Indian Patent Act, 1970, would prevent the domestic companies from manufacturing several medicines.

They said a majority of medical representatives were denied benefits as guaranteed by the Sales Promotion Employees Act. The companies were adopting 'hire and fire' policy besides retrenching thousands of employees.