The Union Labour Ministry has instructed the Karnataka Labour Department to take immediate action following a complaint from an independent tech employees’ union regarding the mass layoffs by Infosys. The complaint, filed by the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), highlights the termination of over 300 freshers who had undergone extensive training at Infosys’ Mysuru campus. NITES, however, claims the actual number of layoffs stands at 700.
Infosys admitted last week to laying off over 300 freshers, but NITES alleged that the company’s actions were more severe, with the union demanding strict intervention from the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The union’s complaint stated that these employees had already faced a delay of two years in joining after receiving their offer letters.
The freshers were reportedly asked to sign “mutual separation” agreements, a practice previously reported. NITES is calling for an investigation into the matter, a restraining order against Infosys to prevent further terminations, the reinstatement of all dismissed employees, and penalties for violating the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and other relevant labour laws.
In response, the Labour Ministry directed state authorities to investigate. Reports indicate that Labour Department officials visited Infosys’ campuses in Bengaluru and Mysuru late Thursday. Infosys, however, has not provided any official comment on the issue. The company had earlier stated that it did not forcibly terminate any employees and explained its rigorous internal assessments process, which employees must pass to remain with the company. An ex-employee, however, stated that this is the first instance of such widespread layoffs, suggesting it could continue with future batches.
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