UNITES Mourns YSR death in helicopter crash

The incident of YSR deaths in helicopter crash, along with 4 others died in his helicopter crash. They are: Dr P Subramanium, the special secretary to the Chief Minister; ASC Wesley, Chief Security Officer; and two pilots. Group Captain SK Bhatia and Captain MS Reddy.

We at UNITES mourn at this unfortunate incident. Our condolence are extended to family members who died in this helicopter crash.

Labor law holiday for IT companies

The latest update is labor law holiday for IT companies in Bangalore, I am sure this is the impact of UNITES constant engagement in educating employees on their rights. We will have to campaign to ensure that it is restored.

http://www.google.co.in/#hl=en&q=2+years+labour+law+relaxation+for+IT&meta=cr%3DcountryIN&aq=&aq=f&oq=2+years+labour+law+relaxation+for+IT&fp=9269a019182c0c68

IT companies free of labour laws for 2 years
Anil Kumar M | TNN

Bangalore: With IT firms buffeted by today’s turbulent times, the government has offered a helping hand. Reciprocating their needs, it has exempted IT/ITES and software establishments from the provisions of Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 (Central Act 20 of 1946) for two years.

These laws are strict on classifying workers, their working hours and shifts, the wages payable, besides other archaic rules on leave and attendance. Head of HR in Infosys Technologies said, “We have antiquated labour regulations, which do not fit the requirement of the knowledge-based industry. This reform is necessary. We do not want inspector raj here, what we want is more such reforms across industries.’’
WHAT THE ACT SAYS

Every establishment mandatorily needs to classify workmen like — permanent; probationers; badlis; temporary; casual and apprentices Working hours for all classes of employees in each shift should be exhibited in English and in principal languages of workmen employed, on notice boards Publication of holidays, notices specifying the wage rate payable to all employees also to be displayed The Act also empowers the government to impose penalties to the tune of Rs 5,000 on the employer who fails to submit or modify the draft standing orders.

Coutesy: TNN

Sacked IT employee as Tent warrior

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/aug/100809-Santhosh-Min-B-sacked-BPO-employee-election-candidate-satyagraha-launch-Bangalore-tent.htm

BPO employee sacked for contesting elections has launched a satyagraha from a tent pitched right in front of his company

SANTHOSH Min B is determined to fight to protect the voting rights of
private firm employees, even as his satyagraha enters the fourth day.

MiD DAY had reported last week about the protest after his employer World Network Services sacked him for insisting on declaring a holiday on April 23, the day Bangalore voted for parliamentary polls.

Santhosh, a the 33-year-old ‘claims analyst’ in the insurance department
of the BPO company, was an independent candidate in the elections, from
Bangalore (South). With total declared assets of Rs 511, he was also the
poorest candidate contesting the elections.

Lone fighter: Santosh’s parents inspired him to take the path of
satyagraha

Going it alone

Having pitched a tent in front of the company, Santhosh stands with a
placard displaying his complaints, waging a lone war against the company’s repressive attitude towards democracy.

“Satyagraha is a powerful weapon given to us by a great leader like
Gandhi, I am using this weapon to protect our voting rights,” Santhosh
said.

So far no one has come to his support, though he hopes that Hasiru-Usiru, a group of citizens concerned about environment, would soon participate in the satyagraha.

“I have not asked anybody to join me. Sathyagraha is about inner strength.
If anybody wants to support me, however, they are welcome,” Santhosh
added.

Inspiration at home

Santhosh was inspired to tread the path of satyagraha by his father, who
had also staged a satyagraha when he was an employee with MICO.

“My father has taught me not to succumb to suppressive forces when we are right in our deeds,” he said.

His mother too helps him with encouraging words. “I could do all this only
because of my parents encouragement,” added Santhosh.

Santosh is maintaining a simple diet of dry fruits and fruit juice. “I am
a physiotherapist and I know how to eat simple and still stay strong.” He
takes ten-minutes off to have food at a friend’s house a kilometre away,
where he also freshens up, as the company has denied him permission to use its toilets.

Gross violation

According to Santosh, it was a violation of human rights to deny an
individual his voting rights.

“I am not bothered about my individual case, but want to draw the
government’s attention to the issue and make private companies fall in
line when it comes to allowing employees to vote.”

S R Nayak, chairman of the state human rights commission, who was away in Karwar, said, “It is a gross violation and we will take appropriate
action.”

Balakrishna, assistant commissioner, labour department said that his team
would visit the company to examine whether there was any violation. The
company would be “prosecuted if we find that the staff had worked on
election day,” he said.

According to him, a company has to declare paid holiday on the polling day according to National and Festival Holidays Act, and a violation was
punishable.

C S Suranjan, chief electoral officer, said that “under the Representation
of People Act it was a crime to prevent an individual from voting” and
that he would take action against the company after examining the case.

Source : Mid-Day

Price you pay for Democracy

Santhosh Min B who has been terminated by WNS for contesting Lok Sabha, what is Irony is that WNS knew his intentions, kept quiet on his information about contesting in election and terminated after conducting an internal inquiry in company saying contesting for election is non business activity. If this trend continues one day the employers group may say voting is also not required which is the fundamental right of every citizen. This shows the commitment of Indian & MNC’s to Democracy, employee rights and CSR! Price employees pay for supporting Democracy is high.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/aug/070809-Santhosh-Min-B-BPO-Employee-poorest-Lok-Sabha-candidate-2009-elections-Bangalore.htm

Poorest Lok Sabha candidate gets sacked
By: B V Shiva Shankar Date: 2009-08-07 Place: Bangalore

BPO employee Santhosh Min B, the poorest Lok Sabha candidate in 2009 (no assets, money in hand: Rs 511), gets the sack for contesting elections

The poorest candidate in the last parliamentary polls has just become poorer. World Network Services (WNS), a Mumbai-based BPO firm, sacked Santhosh Min B after his unsuccessful efforts to enter parliament.

Jaago re: Santhosh says voter turnout in Bangalore was low because BPOs didn’t allow employees to vote Santhosh (33) was working as a claims analyst in the insurance department.

“I insisted on a holiday on polling day so that everyone could vote,” said Santhosh. “That probably cost me my job.”

He’s now fighting for justice. “I have started a Satyagraha in front of the office,” he said.

Green and poor

Santhosh was the poorest candidate in the elections that concluded in May. When he filed his nomination on March 30 from Bangalore (South) as an independent, he was worth only Rs 511.

His declaration of assets and liabilities said he had no immoveable assets and had only Rs 511 in hand.

He was known as the green candidate because he had proposed a green manifesto promising to divert the Metro Rail route to save Lalbagh and Lakshman Rao Boulevard on Nanda Road in Jayanagar.

A member of Hasiru Usiru, a group of citizens concerned about the environment, Santhosh couldn’t do anything for the cause because he lost his deposit, having polled only 1,178 votes.

BPO factor
Santhosh Min B attributes the low voter turnout in Bangalore (South) to mushrooming BPOs in the city.

“In the previous elections, the constituency had seen a 55 per cent turnout but this time it fell to 44.73 per cent. This is because BPOs did not allow their employees to vote.”

He said he had written to the Election Commission about the problem. ‘No politics, only office politics’

Trouble at work started last February when he hinted at contesting the polls. He sought permission from the management on February 26 but the management suspended him.

He then wrote to the management asking them to declare a holiday on April 23, polling day, but the response was negative. This prompted him to complain to the returning officer.

“Leave alone declaring a holiday, nobody was allowed to vote,” said Santhosh. “They had closed the front gate and forced employees to enter through the rear entrance.”

When he returned to office on April 24, there was a chargesheet to initiate an internal inquiry against him. The inquiry was completed on June 18 and he was sent home on July 2.

When contacted, Mohini Kumar, the HR manager who headed the inquiry committee, said, “We are not supposed to talk about this. It is an internal matter and will be sorted out internally.”

Courtesy : Mid-Day

H1N1 Influenza Tips on taking Precautions

H1N1 Influenza is making its presence felt among the public, and the government has started the measures taken to contain the spread of virus by creating awareness & educating public. We welcome this.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday, Aug 5 introduced new guidelines in relation to curbing the deadly flu. The ministry that has also taken the cue of panic from the public has set up a Website on Swine Flu to keep the public and the media updated, informed and equipped even for the worst.

The website contains everything from the locations of critical care units, to travel advisory, new guidelines and general information on the pandemic itself. Our request is through you it should reach to all your friends.

http://mohfw.nic.in/SWINEFLU.html

Our request to all IT/ITES companies is to spread this awareness to their employees through their Intra net or any other means which is suitable to the organisation. On our website www.unitespro.org we have put Tips on taking Precautions H1N1 Influenza

Let us all be united to face this challenge.

Source:OneIndia News

No IT companies in Karnataka Premier League(KPL)!

It is shocking to note that none of the IT/ITES companies were not seen at KPL (Karnataka Premier League) on the lines of IPL to own/book. A cricket team in their name or in the name of City or by the product that they develop to own is always advantage (take the case of Mumbai Indians by Reliance group, this shows commitment to Mumbai city).

All these companies talk of work life balance, involving their employees in activities which is other than work and in a country/state which is crazy of cricket it is imperative not to spot an IT/ITES major trying to own a cricket team at least at state level. This clearly indicates that it is all work and no play for IT/ITES professionals (employers can always say the time is bad, profit are low, blame US market etc) .

But isn’t it true that Companies & managers of IT/ ITES etc only do their job the way business schools taught them to do ? Isn’t it true that in general, companies only do what they are rewarded for, hence cricket may not seem to be as important ? Isn’t it true that they do that, as if nothing else existed other than their company/sector ? With demands for better Infrastructure, Exemption of Tax, Now even a Minister from the employers group to promote their cause!

A company will work/seek for profit of shareholder value ? Shouldn’t we have a look at employee welfare (a critical second look) into why despite everybody is doing the things right, why employees quit when going is good may be all work and no play makes them dull?

Employee Identity in Indian Call Centres

UNITES Professional is happy to inform that a book on UNITES Professionals with a dedicated chapter analyzing the birth and organizing strategy of UNITES Professionals is now published and is available in book shops across the world. I think this will give you an insight into employees work.

The Book is “Employee Identity in Indian Call Centres: The Notion of Professionalism
Written By Noronha, Ernesto (Author), D’Cruz, Premilla (Author)”
This has been published by Sage Publications (http://www.sagepub.in/browse/book.asp?bookid=1376&mode=1).

Please find enclosed comment from the web listed below:

http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/ernesto-noronha/employee-identity-indian-call-centres/9788132100799.html

This one-of-its-kind book, Employee Identity in Indian Call Centres: The Notion of Professionalism presents the lived experience of call center agents, and the perspectives of managers and trade unionists regarding employee experiences in the international call centers in Mumbai and Bangalore in India.

All this has been possible thanks to the constant support that we have got from our members, our colleagues.

PMO Accepts “Stop the Pink Slip”

UNITES had requested Hon’ble Prime Minister of India for his intervention to include IT & ITES sector in 100 days plan. In stopping the Lay off in the form non performance, Pink Slip and recession with the cooperation Ministry of communication & IT.

This petition has been accepted and forwarded to the IT Secretary / Ministry for action. We thank Prime Minster for the intervention and we hope the sun will shine on the SUNSHINE sector.

Our hugely popular “Stop The Pink Slip” campaign has helped in getting this attention. We are thank full to 14,260 IT/ITES employees who have signed the petition on postcards and many more who have signed it online. We have included some of the comments for your reference.

We thank you for your constant support in this campaign.

Stop The Pink Slip

UNITES Professionals Union for ITES employees in India has taken up Stop The Pink Slip – Campaign as more than 5% of Indian IT & ITES employees are threatened of job loss in the next two quarters. On 1 May 2009 we are launching Stop The Pink Slip – Campaign which will run entire month and the signatures collected will be handed over to NASSCOM, India the IT/ITES employer body.

UNITES strives to create a distinct and cogent link between employers & employees at all levels but our repeated request to NASSCOM has not resulted in any prevention of job loss, so we have launched the Stop The Pink Slip – Campaign with active support of IT & ITES employees
across India.

Visit website at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/StopthePinkSlip/index.html and register your solidarity.
Please keep visiting the UNITES website http://www.unitespro.org/ for regular updates on Stop The Pink Slip – Campaign!

Looking forward for your valuable support and passing this information to other in IT/ITES organisations.

In Solidarity.

We request Election Commission to intervene and shelve Satyam’s sale process

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Features/SatyamWhat-lies-ahead/IT-workers-union-wants-EC-to-shelve-Satyam-sale/articleshow/4368709.cms

A union of information technology workers, Unites, has asked India’s Election Commission to intervene and shelve Satyam’s sale
Satyam process until a new government takes over and current investigations being carried out by the CBI reaches a conclusion, citing the scandal-hit company’s legal liabilities and other ambiguities as deterrents for any potential bidder to carry an effective due diligence process.

Courtesy : The Economic Times