CRU Silchar lends support to All-India strike on 28, 29 March called by Central Trade Unions

The united stand of Central Trade Unions and industry wise federation including Federation of Medical & Sales Representatives Association of India (FMRAI) has called for two days of General Strike on 28-29 March, 2022 against the anti-worker and pro corporate policies of the Central Govt. As an affiliation of FMRAI and CITU, Centre of Medical & Sales Representatives’ Union, Silchar popularly known as CRU, support the call for all India industrial action of General Strike for both the days.

While interacting with Subrata Roy an executive member of the Central Committee of the said organization, he said, “We had been raising our voice against the four labour codes, repealing of the SPE Act, recruitment of Medical & Sales Representatives in fixed term of employment, non implementation of the Minimum Wages, non implementation of other legal obligations and social security benefits for the Sales Promotion Employees. However, the Central & State govt. are not willing to provide us the basic minimum legal rights. It has come to such a disastrous situation that Assam govt. itself is violating the Minimum Wages Act by not revising the Minimum wages for Sales Promotion Employees in the state of Assam for last 6 years in spite of the fact that the law says that the govt. has to revise Minimum Wages within a period not more than 5 years. The central govt. is yet to notify the statutory working norms for us in spite of the fact that tripartite committee meeting agreed to notify through official gazette.

In view of the above, today Sales Promotion Employees are being recruited for a period of 11 months under fixed term employment, without appointment letters, without any pay structure. Many of them are also not getting the benefit of PF, Gratuity, Bonus, ESIC etc. today there are many workers who are being recruited under CTC where the employee pays the share of employer’s PF, Gratuity and Bonus. After recruitment, we are forced to accept whatever comes in our pocket because none of us wants to be unemployed. Hence, today we are to carry out our work for our employers as unpaid and forced labour. There is no time schedule of work as employers’ forces us to work till we visit last Doctor available in the hospital of chamber. The proposed labour codes will further expose us to intense cruelty as we might not have any legal rights to fall back on in case of unfair labour practices. There would be no job security for us as we could be fired at any time. Today sales pressure is taking the maximum jobs. We are to achieve whatever target the company fixes’’.

On asking to Saraswat Malakar, the District Secretary of CRU, Silchar, he further added, ‘’The unethical marketing and trade practices done by the company is also taking jobs of many of us. What is more dangerous is the fact that big companies are now selling Pharma products through Online Sales. Till now, it was restricted to FMCG products but now it has come to Pharma market also. We have reports that now online sale of Pharma products are being made to distributors too. This will be the last nail in the coffin. It is diabolical that we will work to create demand for the products through Prescription, but we will not be given sales credit; but the employer will sold the product through online sales. Hence, it will be very important that we as sales promotion employees raise our voice against the policies of the Central Govt, State govt and protest against the unfair labour practices of the employers. Two days of General Strike will carry out the united voice of all workers who are being exploited and tortured for super profit of the employers that is being supported by the government policies.

Therefore, we request all Medical & Sales Representatives of Barak Valley to participate in the General Strike and paralyze all activities of the company in entire northeast region along with rest of India. Let us remain united in our struggle for change of Pro Corporate Policies by the central and state govt. and establish a work place where all our trade union, legal and collective bargaining rights are being implemented by all employers’’.