The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued a second notice to the Karnataka Labour Commissioner regarding the mass termination of trainees at Infosys Mysuru Campus. According to a report by Moneycontrol, the ministry has directed the authorities to take necessary action regarding the expulsion of over 350 trainees who have failed to clear internal assessments.
The letter dated February 25, orders the officials to ‘’look into the matter and take necessary action,’’ ensuring that both the complainants and the central ministry are informed related to the updates. This latest directive follows the first which was issued on February 7 that prompted a visit by state labour officials to Infosys’s Bengaluru and Mysuru campuses.
Employees Union calls termination unjust
A Pune-based IT workers union, The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), has been at the forefront of challenging the layoffs. Terming them ‘’illegal, unethical, and in violation of labour laws.’’
During the press conference on February 26, NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja stated that the earlier attempts to address the issue were obstructed by the Karnataka Labour Ministry saying that specific employee names are absent in complaints. This time more than 100 employees who have been affected have submitted individual grievances to both state and central authorities, pleading a thorough investigation.
Trainees have raised several concerns regarding allegations that Infosys has enrolled them in the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) which gives them Rs 9,000 as stipend per trainee for 12 months but were removed from it within four months. Some of them also alleged that they were not properly informed about the negative marking in assessments and are yet to receive relieving letters.
Infosys’ stance on the issue
Replying to the controversy, Infosys defended its evaluation system, stating that its training program is globally recognized and the performance assessments are a standard part of career advancement. ‘’every trainee joins with the clear understanding that performance assessments are an essential part of their progress,’’ Infosys mentioned in a statement. The company has also made it clear that over 98% eligible trainees have got their relieving letters.
Despite Infosys response, the Labour Ministry has directed the Karnataka Labour Commissioner to submit a detailed report regarding the matter.
