Refusing to accept the VRS package offered by the Nokia management on Thursday, Nokia India Thozhilalar Sangam (the company’s workers? union) has decided to move the state?s labour department seeking its immediate intervention. The union will also explore the possibility of moving court against the management’s decision.
“With its latest move, the management is forcing the employees to accept or face job losses. We are not bothered about whether the VRS package is attractive or not. We are bothered about our jobs. We don’t accept the VRS package…” said R Soundararajan, leader of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
Speaking to FE, he said: “…We are insisting that the labour department convene an immediate tri-partite meeting (union, management and government officials) to get the issue resolved as early as possible. The management has already started discussing the VRS package scheme with the employees.”
The union may even take legal recourse on the issue.
Trainees, numbering 750-800, will be the immediate casualties. It is believed they have been offered R2 lakh plus an amount equal to three months? current wages (basic).
For 6,600 employees, the package is 15 months? current salary and R1 lakh. A few days ago, around 2,500 employees staged a day-long dharna in the heart of city to protest against the management?s decision.
When contacted, the Nokia India spokesperson, while confirming the amount of the VRS package for 6,600 employees, declined to give an exact figure for the trainees. However, the official said the management had held a round of discussion with the employees of the second shift on Thursday, and with the employees of the first shift on Friday.
“We are holding discussions with the employees, explaining to them the benefits of the package, the current situation, the tax disputes, the deadline for merging with Microsoft (April-end), among other things. We believe we will roll out the scheme (VRS package) officially in the next two days,” the spokesperson pointed out.
