International Workers Day 2016 – Press Release from FITE
IT/ITES Industry is playing significant role in Indian economy.It contributes 9.5% in GDP and 38% in total exports. It gives employment opportunity for more than 37 lakhs people in India and 11 lakhs of the workforce are women. The Industries year on year annual revenue growth is more than 10%.
Indian IT Industry is one of the largest organized private sector which means the terms of employment are regular,fixed working hours, companies are regulated and employment are protected by Indian labour acts. Indian constitution guarantees the right to form union/association for every citizen of this country. But, the prevailing situation in the Industry does not reflect this. The recent Industry update says that 10 lakh engineering graduates are entering into the Indian Job Market every year. 5 Engineering graduates are competing for 1 position in IT Industry, ie lakhs of fresh cheap workforce is now available in the Job market to replace experienced people and to work for less salary. In another side Industry is moving towards automation of mindless work and job loss for many. Illegal Termination of 25,000 employees of TCS while at the same time hiring thousands of fresher’s is good example for it.
This scenario is more advantageous for the IT Industry employers. Till now the employees problems in the Industry is being managed with Human Resource Management. Unquestionable Illegal Terminations,forced resignations in the name of poor performance, biased appraisal system and bias in salary hike, promotion, onsite opportunity, extended working hours, heavy work load, unfriendly women policies, increasing contract workers, sudden illegal closures etc are order of the Industry now. Employees have threatening environment for collective resistance against exploitation while corporates have NASSCOM for collective bargaining with government. We face challenges in seeking protection from more protective Industrial Dispute Act because of the ambiguity in accommodating IT workers in this act. Helpless IT employees are like bull in front of corporate lions.
Recent very strong garment workers’ strike in Bengaluru had made the Indian government to withdraw its anti labour amendments to Employees’ provident fund and miscellaneous act which saved the rights of crores of workers including IT workers across India. The Facebook campaign, demonstrations and legal struggle against illegal termination of 25,000 employees of TCS in December 2014 has damaged the brand image of TCS and questioned its unfair labour practice in the public forum, finally TCS had to withdraw its decision. 25,000 professionals indirectly around 1,00,000 family members dignified life was saved by small group of IT employees collective resistance across India. This is how we got our rights and it is the real history. FITE is marching ahead with a ray of hope and is sharing wishes of unity to lakhs of IT workers across India.
Collective Resistance is Our Strength and Unionization is Our Constitutional Right.
By
Parimala
President , FITE Chennai
