Forced Resignations? KITU Challenges TCS

Anusha Paul

Published on Aug 07, 2025, 01:02 PM | 2 min read

Bangalore: A conciliation meeting between the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) took place yesterday on August 6, 2025 at the Labour Office in Bangalore, following allegations of illegal mass retrenchments by the IT major.

The meeting was presided over by Mr. G. Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner, who served as the conciliation officer. Representing TCS were Mr. Boban Varghese Thomas, General Manager – HR, and Mr. Mahesh G.K., Assistant Manager. KITU was represented by its General Secretary Mr. Suhas Adiga, President V.J.K., and Secretary Mr. Sooraj Nidiyanga.

The conciliation process remains ongoing, with the next round of discussions scheduled for September 8.

KITU has formally filed an industrial dispute against TCS, accusing the company of violating the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 by forcing employees to resign without following due process. The Act mandates that companies employing more than 100 workers must seek government approval before initiating any retrenchments or layoffs, which can only be done under specific conditions.

KITU’s complaint alleges that TCS management bypassed these legal requirements by coercing employees into resigning, effectively masking layoffs as voluntary exits. The union is calling for the prosecution of TCS management for these alleged violations, as well as criminal proceedings against officials involved.

Suhas Adiga, KITU’s General Secretary said, “This is not just a violation of the law; it is a clear denial of employee rights. We are seeking full accountability.”

KITU pointed out that several employees approached the union with similar complaints of being pressured to resign. In response, the union urged the Labour Department to take decisive action to safeguard the rights of affected employees.

In a parallel development, KITU had recently mobilized protests against the Karnataka state government’s proposal to increase working hours for IT/ITeS employees. The government has now withdrawn the plan, marking a major victory for organized labour in the tech sector.

“We stood our ground against the proposed working hour increases, and the government backed off,” said one of the secretaries of KITU Lenil Babu. “This win shows what collective action can achieve. Workers have rights — and we will continue fighting to protect them.”