Just before the Thiruvonam festival, a 35-year-old mid-level engineer at a major software company in Kerala received a sudden summons for a private HR discussion. This came shortly after he was unexpectedly removed from a U.S.-based project and placed on the ‘bench’.
The warning signs were clear. His company had recently implemented a ‘benching policy,’ stating that employees couldn’t remain unassigned to a project for more than 35 days, citing the rise of artificial intelligence. He was then informed he was on a ‘fluidity list’ of potentially expendable staff members.
Recounting his ordeal, the IT professional explained, “I was never given a clear reason for my inclusion on this list; they only claimed my project head recommended it, which was completely untrue. A follow-up meeting after Thiruvonam offered me no choice but to resign on ‘mutual grounds,’ though the process was far from mutual. My resignation was recorded as voluntary, and I only received six months’ gross salary. With less than five years of service, I wasn’t eligible for benefits like gratuity. The whole thing was over in just a week.” He is now actively searching for new employment.
Employee Collectives Demand Action
IT employee organizations are vocally condemning the aggressive implementation of this ‘pink slip culture,’ which they view as a coercive practice.
Aneesh Panthalani, president of Progressive Techies, stated, “The arbitrary benching and rating systems, along with the pressure on team leaders to meet layoff targets, must stop. Companies should establish internal committees with equal representation from both management and employees for fair performance evaluations. They also need to offer robust upskilling programs to facilitate redeployment wherever possible.” His organization is actively engaging with authorities, including the Labour Commissioner, to address these pressing concerns.
R. Chandrasekharan, State president of INTUC, expressed his dismay, highlighting how successive LDF and UDF governments have consistently “obstructed” efforts to unionize IT professionals. He criticized their tolerance of “human rights violations under the guise of attracting investments.”
Mr. Chandrasekharan remarked, “Even global bodies like the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have limited influence in such situations, a reality I’ve witnessed firsthand during my time on the ILO’s governing body. Every attempt to form IT professional unions — even on a smaller scale since I became president in 2007 – has been thwarted. Trade unions currently find themselves quite helpless in advocating for IT professionals.”
He further announced that INTUC plans to host a trade union symposium in Kochi to discuss the profound impact of modern technology on the labor force.
Prathidhwani, an IT employee welfare organization, has established a support community for laid-off tech professionals, focusing on helping them secure new jobs quickly.
N.G. Madhavan, convener of a technical forum within Prathidhwani, explained, “We provide assistance with upskilling, utilizing the expertise of our members as mentors. Simultaneously, we are appealing to both the Central and State governments to take decisive action against such unfair retrenchment practices by IT companies.”