NOTES 63 Act to the sales promotional employees was with vengeance exploited by the employers. In November 1971, field workers from all over the country assembled at Delhi and staged a demonstration before parliament demanding 'workman9 status. The Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions in its thirty-first report unanimously recommended to introduce, without delay., suitable amendments to bring the sales promotional employees within the compass of the Industrial Disputes Act. Thirty-one leading members of parliament from all political parties then submitted a joint appeal urging the government to amend section (2)S of the Act to facilitate the change. In November 1973, a week-long dharna was staged in front of the Labour Minister's residence. The field workers were assured that action would soon be taken. The dharna was addressed by parliament members from all political parties. There was an interim period of suspense and uncertainty which the employers tried to take full advantage of. Increased Solidarity Leaders of the field workers were spotted and humiliated under a policy of surprise transfers and brutal retrenchment. J S Mazumdar, then general secretary of the Bihar Representatives' Association was transferred by the Glaxo management for the crime of demanding nationalization of the drug industry! When the infuriated foreign monopoly terminated his services, an agitation was mounted on an all-India scale in his support. After eighteen months of struggle, the giant monopoly retreated in defeat and reinstated Mazumdar, It was the beginning of an organized movement of the pharmaceutical workers. The Glaxo agitation was wide and sweeping in range bringing together most of the workers in the industry. It also started a chain reaction of organizational mobilization in many parts of the country. Perplexed by the workers' organization and unity, the Pfizer management introduced a new contract for their field workers, elevating them to fourth grade officers, but with no additional advantages or responsibilities. Some of the field workers refused to sign the new contract. Pressure from the management followed. The workers struck back and went ahead in the direction of organizational integration. The Association of Field Workers was affiliated to the AICAPEF (All India Chemical and Pharmaceutical Employees' Federation) and gave rise to the unity slogan of ^Factorywalla, Officewalla, Pheriwalla^ Ekhi, Ekhai" (Factory hand, office worker and salesman are one and the same). AIGPBF submitted a charter of demands to the government and the managements, and observed 9 September 1974 as Demands Day. As far as the fieldworkers are concerned, the demand for workman status was emphasized prominently in the charter of demands. On 21 April 1975, thousands of workers of the drug companies, from office, factory, and field, staged a massive demonstration before the Houses of Parliament. More than 200 were arrested.