IT employees union Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate had filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment alleging that Infosys had deferred the onboarding of more than 2,000 campus hires for over two years.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The office of the Chief Labour Commissioner, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has directed the Karnataka Labour Department to investigate the alleged exploitation of young IT graduates by the Bengaluru-based tech firm Infosys Ltd. following the delayed onboarding of its campus recruits in 2022.

In a directive dated September 3 and addressed to the Labour Commissioner, Karnataka, the office of the Chief Labour Commissioner said, ‘‘Since appropriate government for action under respective Labour Law in this matter is State Government, you are requested to look into the matter and take suitable action under intimation to the applicant and this office.’‘

The directive signed by Regional Labour Commissioner, O.P. Singh, was in response to an email it received on August 20, 2024 from Harpreet Singh Saluja, president, of Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (Nites), regarding the alleged exploitation of young professionals by Infosys.

Nites had previously filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, in June and also in August, alleging that Infosys had deferred the onboarding of more than 2,000 campus hires for over two years.

Infosys finally issued offer letters, but to only 1,000 of the fresh graduates, Nites said, on September 2. The union also confirmed that these new hires have a starting date of October 7, 2024. The Labour Ministry further advised the applicants to make any further correspondence with the Labour Commissioner, Karnataka, if required.

Infosys did not respond to The Hindu’s query on this matter at the time of going to print.

Air India and other planes parked at the airport in Mumbai on May 9, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Air India Express has agreed to reinstate 25 cabin crew who were terminated after a large number of them reported “sick” since May 6, while the flight crew have agreed to report to duty following a meeting mediated by the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) in New Delhi on May 9.

The representatives of the airline management have also assured that all the issues raised by the cabin crew pertaining to alleged discrimination emanating from the merger with erstwhile AirAsia India and removal of allowances will be resolved. The CLC will hold another meeting on May 28 on the matter.

On the third day of the protest on “leave”, Air India Express was forced to cancel 85 flights across its network. Another Tata Group airline Air India supported it by operating flights on 20 of its routes, according to a media statement issued by Air India Express.

The CLC called a conciliation meeting after over 200 cabin crew at Air India Express started reporting “sick” from May 6 resulting in flight disruptions.

In one of the letters addressed to a cabin crew late on May 8 informing him of his immediate termination, the airline said, “Your act of reporting sick for work amounts to a concerted action with a common understanding to not operate the flight and disrupt services of the company. This is not only in violation of the applicable laws but also violates the Air India Express Limited Employees’ Service Rules.”

The Air India Express cabin crew are unhappy over “preferential treatment” for employees of the erstwhile AirAsia India resulting in certain postings granted to the latter. They also complained about unfair contractual terms which offered Air India Express an employment of one or five years, while those from AirAsia India could remain employed till they turned 58 years. They also rued removal of certain allowances including, House Rent Allowance, Dearness Allowance, among others. Air India and its low-cost international airline Air India Express were privatised in 2022 and handed over to Tata Sons. The conglomerate already owned Vistara and AirAsia India and decided to carve out two airlines of the total four it now owned by merging Air India and Vistara as well as Air India Express with AirAsia India.