Laid-Off Infosys Trainees Petition PMO Over Sudden Terminations
In a bid to prevent future unfair terminations, recently laid-off Infosys employees have appealed to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for intervention. According to the Economic Times, nearly 117 trainees fired by the IT services giant urged the government to investigate and take action to stop such layoffs.
The union labour ministry accepted the grievances and referred the case to Karnataka's labour department, instructing them to investigate the mass termination case. Referring to the federal system, the ministry explained that the state government is the right authority to take action on the case. The notice also named Harpreet Singh Saluja, president of the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), an association fighting for IT/ITES employees' rights.
The furore was sparked earlier this month when Infosys terminated about 700 trainees without warning. The new graduates were hired two years ago but were inducted only last October. The company defended the layoffs by saying that the trainees did not pass an in-house assessment program.
"Although we appreciate the frustration of those who could not pass the test, we must realize the facts of the case," Infosys said after the layoffs.
Yet, the trainees who were affected complained that the test was unfair, with some complaining that the level of difficulty was much greater than in previous tests. The mass dismissals and perceived lack of transparency fueled widespread outrage and demands for greater employee protection in the IT industry.
With government agencies now in the picture, the case could have implications for future policy on employee rights and corporate responsibility in India's burgeoning tech sector. The verdict is still out, but the workers' appeal for justice has reopened the debate about fair labour practices.
