The medical representatives in Tamil Nadu are on warpath against the alleged unethical recruitment measures adopted by some of the pharmaceutical company managements.

The members of the Tamil Nadu Medical and Sales Representatives Association (TNMSRA) is planning to stage a major demonstration and meeting on December 3 at Saidapet in Chennai to show their protest.

This is as part of a nationwide campaign launched by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives' Associations of India (FMRAI) against the pharmaceutical companies appointing employees in violation of the Sales Promotion Employees (SPE) Act, 1976, as Pharmabiz had reported earlier.

FMRAI sources point out that many leading pharma companies were issuing appointment letters to the medical representatives as 'Sales Officers' or 'territory heads' or with similar designations. By this, the Sales Promotion Employees will be outside the provisions of the SPE Act and rules. This is in violation of section 2(d) and section 5, and Rule 22(1) of the SPE (Conditions and Service) Act, 1976 with amendment in 1986, which mandates pharma companies to issue appointment letters in prescribed Form A.

Most of these employees are absorbed only on contract basis, and are subjected to rigorous punishments like suspensions, transfers, wage cuts etc. when they fail to achieve their targets. Many companies also introduce tight work schedule in the name of modernisation.

FMRAI alleges the companies who violate the norms include Wockhardt, FDC, Pfizer, Sun Pharma, Aventis Pharma, Alkem Lab, Cipla, Kopran Limited, Abbot, Glenmark, Crosslands, Shreya Life Sciences, Glaxo Smithkline, Rexcel Pharma, IPCA Lab, Raptakos Brett, Aristo Pharma, Medley Pharma, Novartis, Macleods Pharma, Emcure Pharma, RPG Life Sciences, Nicholas Piramel, CFL Pharma etc. The association is also in the process of making a list of other SPE violating companies in different parts of the country.