The Indian Drug Manufacturers Association [IDMA] has urged Maharashtra government to withdraw workmen status for the medical representatives [MR]. According to the association, it is the only state in the country, which has equated the status of a MR to that of a laborer or worker. “A MR normally draws a salary of about Rs. 15,000 per month. Such an individual can never be categorized under a workman or laborer's status. MR's way of working is also completely different and more at ease compared to a worker,” said K.D. Vora, Chairman, IDMA Trade/ Employee Relations sub-committee.

At a press conference in Mumbai, IDMA blamed the Federation of Medical Representatives Association of India [FMRAI] for creating indiscipline among MRs. According to them, FMRAI interferes with the day-to-day activities of the management by stepping up pressure against companies and threatening salesmen who refuse to obey them.

According to IDMA's press release, companies seeking to introduce new management practices in the domestic market to overcome the slowdown are frustrated by the Federation of Medical Representatives Association of India's [FMRAI] unreasonable opposition to growth.

The release further stated that FMRAI has been insisting that a representative's zonal or regional manager can visit representative's town and see his town only after he gives a 15-day notice. In certain places, this notice, in writing has to be stamped by the local union office. Members of FMRAI belonging to diverse pharmaceutical companies harass managers visiting a town without such a “visa.” There have been instances of managers being packed off from the railway station itself.

FMRAI insists on royalty to the association rather than the company that employs the salesman. It is opposed to promotion and career growth of salesman into higher grades of management. In some cases, it has demanded that promoted sales officers be reverted back to the sales man category.

Salesmen who are not members of FMRAI are often coerced by union leaders to join them. In Punjab, local union regulations do not permit salesmen to work after 3 PM, said the release.

FMRAI has been encouraging indiscipline by protecting non-performers and promoting them to its leadership. It is opposed to rewarding good work through schemes such as performance linked wages. It has also been opposing transfer of salesmen. It is a fact that employees dismissed due to indiscipline and non-performance take up positions in the union, it said.

“In the era of declining sales, FMRAI is encroaching the rights of management,” said Dara Patel, Secretary General, IDMA. According to IDMA officials, there has been a 15-20 per cent decline in pharmaceutical industry growth. The non-cooperation of the MRs has helped in the intensification of the decline.