The Karnataka government will provide legal help to FITE (Forum for I.T. Employees) and other associations with regard to layoffs.
Addressing reporters, IT Minister Priyank Kharge said: “We have assured the associations that we will pursue their problems legally,” he said. The IT minister met up with representatives of FITE, which included members from Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru.
FITE had sought government intervention to stop ‘arbitrary’, ‘forced’ and ‘unfair’ terminations of techies over 35 years. FITE has submitted a petition seeking reconsideration of the Karnataka government’s decision to exempt IT companies from coming under the ambit of labour laws and bring it under the Industrial Disputes Act (IDA).
IT companies are exempt from the Karnataka Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules, 1946 — which applies to all the units in the state. In 2013, there was an attempt to bring the IT sector under IDA but it was decided to exempt it from labour laws after the industry pressed the panic button.
However, Kharge had earlier told BusinessLine that nothing stops the government from taking a relook at the rules. “We don’t enjoy legal power as yet, but that does not stop us from evaluating any changes that might be required. The government always considers concerns of both employers and employees equally,” he added.
Kharge added that he needs to talk to employers as any rule or policy change cannot be one-sided. In 2014, the government under the Section 14 of the Industrial Employment (Standing orders) Act 1946, had exempted the IT, ITeS, start-ups, animation, gaming and other knowledge-based industries from the applicability of Industrial Employment (Standing orders Act 1946 for five years.