Pune: With the ongoing appraisal season in Information Technology (IT) sector the Pune-chapter of the Forum for IT Employees (FITE), an organisation set up to fight layoffs, is receiving several calls from discontented employees seeking solutions to their problems.
FITE Pune, which was registered as a trade union in January, is in the process of restructuring itself to handle the issues of employees working in the Information Technology sector. As per Directorate of Industries, there are over 171 IT parks in Pune. The city also houses more than 3 lakh employees working in the IT sector. With several incidents of layoffs and labour disputes last year, FITE Pune took the lead to solve the
issues.
Speaking about the calls from discontented employees, Elavarasan Raja, General Secretary (GS) of Forum for IT Employees Pune said many employees who are unhappy with their appraisals and seek a correct solution from FITE so that they get justice.
“We have asked employees who are unhappy with their appraisals to raise the issue with their internal company forum. Similarly, we have asked them to use written communication like e-mails while raising their issues so that these things are documented. If they do not get satisfactory response from the company we will look into the issue. We will continue to fight against unfair policies of some IT companies,” added Raja.
Speaking about the current layoff scenario in IT sector, Assistant Labour Commissioner at Pune, Nikhil Walke said the number of complaints of illegal layoffs in IT sector has reduced this year by more than 30 per cent. “There can be two reasons to support this situation. Either the current IT market is good and is promoting jobs and hiring, or the companies have become alert about consequences of illegal layoffs and so is hiring cautiously,” added Walke.
He said there are two main types of complaints from IT employees: forced termination and forced resignation. “Both complaints fall in illegal category as a company cannot force an employee to resign or terminate him unless they have sufficient grounds to support such a move. A victim of illegal layoff can approach the labour department and lodge a complaint or move the court. It is good that FITE Pune chapter was registered under Trade Unions Act as now companies cannot challenge their locus standi,” added Walke.
Cyber expert Anil Raj of Cybervault Securities Private Limited said the current IT market is promoting jobs and fresh hirings.
