Maharashtra: Labour dept sends notice to TCS over 'forcing employees' to relocate
NITES, a union of IT employees, said that they had received 300 complaints from TCS employees after the 'forced transfer'
Following complaints about the “forced transfer” of hundreds of employees without adequate notice, the Maharashtra government's labour ministry has sent a notice to tech giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a union of IT employees, lodged the complaint which alleges that TCS transferred around 2,000 employees to different cities. As per the complaint, the TCS employees were transferred to different branches of the firm without being given sufficient time for proper relocation or consultation, causing them hardship.
‘Received over 300 complaints’
In a letter to the labour department, NITES president Harpreet Singh Saluja said that TCS threatened employees with disciplinary action if they failed to comply with the transfer. The union said that they had received 300 complaints from TCS employees after the “forced transfer”. “We have urged the Ministry of Labour and Employment to investigate TCS's actions and take appropriate measures to protect IT workers from such unethical practices,” Saluja said in a statement.
As per a report in The Times of India, the email sent out to TCS employees read, “This is in reference to your transfer order to TCS Mumbai followed by a transfer email directing to you report to said brand in 14 days and complete the transfer process. However, it has been noted that you have failed to report to the transferred brand till date. Hence, the company is initiating a stoppage of your salary.”
‘Stops pay’ of 900 employees
Facing the heat for forcing employees to transfer to another brand in just 14 days, TCS has reportedly stopped the salaries of 900 employees for failing to comply with the company policies, reported NITES.
“The company has unethically stopped salary of employees who are opposing these forced transfers. NITES strongly condemns the illegal tactics of TCS forcing employees either to accept the forced transfers or resign from the job,” NITES said.
Media reports said a section of employees were given only Rs 6,000 for the month of December, while others had their salaries stopped altogether. TCS reportedly blocked the access of these employees to their official attendance and time sheet portal.
Meanwhile, the labour department of Maharashtra has asked TCS to present its stance on the matter in a joint meeting on January 18.
