Medical, Sales Representatives of Bihar, Jharkhand on strike

Highlighting the issues for strike, Roy said since reconstitution of the Industrial Tripartite Committee for the Sales Promotion Employees no meeting has been called by the Central Government even though it was assured to be called by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

They also demanded extension of maternity leave for 26 weeks to women sales promotion employees under Promotion Employees by specifying the provision within 6 (4) of the Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976.

Medicines related demands included to exempt medicines and medical devices from all duties and taxes and no GST for medicines and medical devices.

They also sought to impose price control on all medicines and medical devices like pacemakers, stents and implants, etc based on their production cost.

They sought to encourage more compulsory licensing and to stop the multi national companies aggression in acquiring Indian companies and restrict FDI in pharmaceutical sector for the interest of the common people and also for the self-reliant pharma industry of the country.