A TCS employee, Saurabh More, has captured public attention after a photo of him sleeping on a footpath outside the IT giant’s Pune office went viral. His protest, sparked by a pending salary and inactive work ID, has ignited debates over worker treatment in India’s tech sector.
The now-viral image shows More using his bag as a pillow, with a handwritten letter placed beside him explaining his ordeal. In the letter, he stated that he reported to TCS Sahyadri Park on July 29, but his employee ID remained inactive, and he had not received the salary promised during a July 30 meeting. Despite informing HR of his dire financial situation, he claimed he was ignored, prompting him to live on the footpath since July 29.
The Forum for IT Employees (FITE) voiced support, stating:
“His courage in such dire conditions is commendable.”
They urged employees to report salary issues to the Labour Office in addition to protesting, reminding tech professionals that their rights are protected under Indian labour laws.
Social media reactions were mixed. While some criticised TCS for abandoning its ethical foundations, others questioned if the situation stemmed from procedural payroll delays, such as reporting after the payroll cut-off.
The incident comes amid TCS’s global workforce restructuring, expected to impact around 12,000 employees.
As public support grows for More, his protest has become a symbol of growing employee unrest in India’s evolving IT landscape.