In a major order, the Madras High Court on Tuesday granted an interim injunction for four weeks restraining software major, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), from terminating the services of an employee from January 21.
Justice M.Duraiswamy passed the interim order on a writ petition by an employee. He ordered notice of admission on the petition.
The petitioner, Sasirekha Thangavel Natarajan, said she was an MCA, and working as an Assistant Consultant in TCS, Chennai, since March 2011.
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The company was an industry under the Industrial Disputes Act, its activity being developing software and applications as per its clients’ business requirements and to provide support and maintenance services as well.
She submitted that as per news reports, the company had decided to terminate the services of 25,000 workers who were Assistant Consultants and above and to recruit 55,000 persons, predominantly freshers based on campus interviews and other less experienced persons in their place to cut costs.
She was one among those to be terminated. The decision to terminate the services of experienced workers was unfair and it overlooked their sincerity and performance. There was no valid reason for the company to terminate experienced workers, replacing them with freshers.
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The management issued a termination order dated December 22 last year to her stating that she would be relieved on January 21.
She prayed the court to direct the Conciliation Officer to commence conciliation proceedings in respect of the industrial dispute raised by her in connection with her termination.