In order to protect IT employees from potential mass retrenchments in the Industry, trade union organisations are urging them to form a union.
On Saturday morning, the New Democratic Labour Front (NDLF) will organise a meeting in Padur for employees of TCS and other IT companies.
The meeting will help them deal with potential retrenchment and encourage them to form a union to protect employees’ rights.
According to P. Vijayakumar, State treasurer of NDLF, the movement was started because of a proposed bulk retrenchment by TCS, but aims to protect all employee rights in the long run.
“We have spoken to a number of employees along Chennai’s IT corridor. Although they are enthusiastic about forming a union, there is still some fear,” he said.
“IT companies cannot stop employees from forming a union, since it is against Article 19(1)(C) of the Constitution that gives the right to form associations and unions. Further, these employees are covered under the Industrial Disputes Act and the Labour Act and these Acts do not allow for this kind of bulk retrenchment,” said Mr. Vijayakumar, adding a few labour law practitioners would discuss employee rights at the meeting on Saturday.
CITU has also promised support to an IT employees’ union, and have also planned protests and street corner meetings.
S. Kannan, CITU State secretary, said there are several issues that need to be addressed. “If employees organise themselves, CITU will provide the support needed to fight the establishment on employee rights,” said Mr. Kannan. T.M. Murthi, State general secretary of AITUC, said they had discussed the issue with other State-level trade unions and would provide support to IT employees.
“There are a number of acts, including the Shops and Establishments Act and the Conferment of Permanent Status Act, that protect the rights of retrenched IT employees,” he said.
The movement against mass retrenchment in IT companies began with the Young Tamil Nadu Movement (YTNM) that formed a group called Forum for IT Employees, following a media report that 25,000 TCS employees were under the scanner for retrenchment.
Both TCS and NASSCOM chose to not comment on the issue.
A media report that said 25,000 TCS employees were under the scanner for retrenchment gave rise to the movement
