Cranes Software: No pay since March 2009

A small success we are on front page of Sunday express please find the article and pass it any one known to you in IT/ITES sector.

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/cranes-software-no-pay-since-march-2009/204090.html

Cranes Software: No pay since March 2009

Jayadevan PK & Imran Khan Express News ServiceFirst Published : 05 Sep
2010 03:57:21 AM ISTLast Updated : 05 Sep 2010 01:31:22 PM IST

BANGALORE: Cranes Software, a Bangalore-based software product company which was suspended from trading at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) from September 3, has not paid salaries and other dues to about 100 employees, according to a group of ex-employees who are contemplating legal action against the company. The exact number of employees who have not been
paid could not be ascertained.

While an official spokesperson did not respond to an e-mail sent by Express on Friday, during a previous meeting with Express in October 2009, the company’s managing director, Asif Khader, had admitted to facing a “temporary cash crunch”.

However, the company declared a profit of `4.78 crore (Q2 of 2009) while the salaries were still unpaid. In Q3 2009, the company registered a loss. “Many employees have already left the company,” an employee claimed. In 2008, before recession hit the company, the headcount was about 1,100. Industry sources told Express that the company has shed over half its staff now.

The company’s stock was still trading on Friday at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The company’s stock was suspended from trading at the NSE due to non-filing of financial results. Khader had admitted that the last few quarters have been challenging for Cranes as a result of the global recession, which squeezed cash flow and affected exports. “The company lost significant revenue because The MathWorks Inc, the parent company of MATLAB, decided to set up its own operations in India,” he said.

According to data collected by an ex-Cranes employee (a copy of which is available with the Express), salaries and other benefits like Sodexo coupons, leave encashment and bonus have not been paid from as back as March 2009. The ex-employees, in collaboration with Unites Professionals — a Bangalore-based union of software professionals — are contemplating legal action.

In an earlier e-mail sent to the HR department of the company, the employees had complained that the cheques issued to them had bounced. Karthik Shekhar, general secretary, Unites Professionals India, said, “About 20 of the affected employees met at the Unites office on Saturday to chart out a future course of action, including sending petitions to some Ministers.”

courtesy: Indian Express

In NSR can a employee be black listed, I am asking this as some employers have said this to employees!

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

I had asked the above question to National Skills Registry is a NASSCOM initiative & following is the reply!

https://nationalskillsregistry.com/

National Skills Registry is a NASSCOM initiative to have a robust and credible information infrastructure about all persons working in the industry. This develops trusted and permanent fact sheet of information about each professional along-with background check reports. This is a security best practice for the industry and assures identity security, industry acceptance to honest professionals. NSR is a web-based system hosting a fact sheet of information about existing and prospective employees of Indian IT & ITeS / BPO industry. This can be used by the IT & ITeS / BPO industry and its clients as a credible source of information about the registered professionals who are being employed or put on client assignments.

NSR not follow any practice of blacklisting the employees.

Regards
NSR team

RTE ACT

April 1, 2010, the historically significant date on which the much-debated Right To Education (RTE) Act will come into effect, private schools are evincing interest in the modalities in reserving 25 per cent of their seats to students from economically weaker sections.
The Act, which assures free and compulsory education to children in the age group 6 to 14 years, also seeks to ensure better quality education in government schools.
The Act also speaks of neighbourhood schools, which will largely benefit students from the underprivileged sections of society

CSC under scanner for ‘exploiting’ Indian IT professionals in Denmark

Following is the article that has come in Indian Leading newspaper Economic Times.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/ITeS/CSC-under-scanner-for-exploiting-Indian-IT-professionals-in-Denmark/articleshow/5736717.cms?curpg=2

Employees of CSC in India should read it and we are asking them to support UNITES.

Banking on workers’ rights in HSBC – Global Agreement Now!

Please sign the petition Banking on workers’ rights in HSBC – Global Agreement Now! this is to support them
Forward it to your friends too!

http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/iportal.nsf/pages/hs_sa_petitionEn

CSC Exploits Indian IT professionals?

UNITES IT union in India & PROSA Danish professionals union say CSC computer services company exploits Indian IT workers

UNITES & PROSA believes that CSC Denmark must assume responsibility for the underpayment to the Indians.

CSC Denmark has over the past three years received around 900 Indians in Denmark to work for a salary of 3000 to 5000 Danish Crone plus 8,500 Danish Crone monthly as per diem allowance and paid housing. This is going on even though Danish law states that foreigners must earn at least 31,250 DKK monthly to enter the country through the so-called salary amount rule, which is part of the Aliens Act. This is gross exploitation of the Indians, who virtually live under slave-like conditions.

CSC rejects wrongdoing

CSC denies having done anything illegal. Lars Lundsgaard who is Nordic capability manager of the CSC says:

- We are fully confident that we have a good case and has not done anything illegal. We have just contacted the Immigration Service to be absolutely sure. CSC allegedly has had its calculation approved by the Immigration Service.

Quick return ticket

The Indian IT employee who complained to PROSA has an Indian contract which says that if he leaves CSC India within two years after his return, he must pay a penalty of 300,000 rupees – approx. 35,000 Danish Crone – which is a lot of money for an Indian, who earns 3000 DKK a month. But when he complained about this failure to pay the stated amount, CSC immediately changed the date on his return ticket and he was sent home a few days later.

On his way out of the country, he is very angry and files his resignation. For this reason he must pay the penalty of 35,000 DKK. PROSA has offered to pay his costs if he will go to court, but under pressure in India he has now withdrawn the case. CSC India will not give him his “relive papers”, which are necessary for him to get another job in India, until he waives all claims against CSC Denmark.

UNITES & PROSA have taken up this case in respective countries and are collaborating internationally.

IBM layoffs top 1,600 across several work groups, union reports

http://www.wral.com/business/story/7142058/

Let us get united to protect the job.

How will the Budget benefit IT professionals?

Following article is on Indian Budget 2010. We from UNITES had written to Prime Minister & Finance Minister and the lobbying done by us under “Stop the Pink Slip” is bearing fruits now.

http://www.ciol.com/News/News/News-Reports/How-will-the-Budget-benefit-IT-professionals/132308/0/

Sudhakaran
Friday, February 26, 2010
BANGALORE, INDIA: Though there are not many good news for the IT industry at large, the IT professional, especially those who are in the entry and middle level, stand to benefit from the Budget proposals.

The proposal to raise the income tax slabs will definitely benefit the techies, said Karthik Shekhar, general secretary, UNITES Professionals, the trade union of ITemployees.
“The earnings of most of the techies in India are less than eight lakh a year, so raising the tax ceiling will definitely benefit them,” he told CyberMedia. “We thank Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for giving new tax rates that would offer relief to 60 per cent of taxpayers.”
He also said the proposal to extend the interest subvention scheme for housing sector to March 2011 and subsidy for banking loans up to Rs 10 lakh will benefit many young employees.
Karthik Shekhar also said that the proposal to extend interest subvention of two per cent to SMEs will also be beneficial for employees because the move may generate more jobs in the small organizations like rural BPOs.
The proposal to increase th Plan allocation for school education from Rs.26,800 crore to Rs.31,036 crore is also a move that will have a positive impact in the IT front because computerization is part of the modern education right fro the primary level.
According to Shekhar the UID project has the potential to generate a good number of jobs in the IT front and general front as well.
“The project needs huge amount of data collection. To collect and to collate, apart from the field workers, the project would require the support of IT professionals,” he said. Moreover, such a mammoth project will also require investment in the hardware and software. So the allocation of Rs 1900 crore would really benefit the IT industry in the country.
Likewise the proposal to modernize national employment exchanges and also to to provide social security to unorganized sector workers, would help generate more jobs in the Information Technology sector, said Karthik Shekhar.

©CyberMedia News
Courtesy CIOL

UNITES Mourns fire accident victims at Carlton tower in Bengaluru

The incident of people injured in a major fire that broke out on Tuesday at the Carlton Towers, which houses many commercial offices and establishments, on Old Airport Road at Domlur here. Highlights the problem that we have been telling for the last four years about OHS (Occupational Health & Safety) to be taken seriously by builders/ companies and all the employees of the company.

We at UNITES mourn at this unfortunate incident. Our condolence are extended to family members of employees died in fire accident and others who have had injuries in the accident and their family.We want Carlton Tower owners & Companies to counsel its employee on safety and to overcome this trauma.

UNITES Professionals is Union for IT & ITES employees in India. UNITES strives to create a distinct and cogent link between employers & employees at all levels. Our head office is located at Bangalore.

In the past we have with the help of ILO (International Labour Organisation) have conducted Free OHS workshop. Kindly let us know how we can work together on the same. Please keep visiting the UNITES website for regular updates on labour situation in IT/ITES industry. Our website at www.unitespro.org

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.