The Infosys logo.
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Bengaluru: The IT and ITES Democratic Employees Association (IIDEA) has condemned the Karnataka Labour Department’s decision to provide a clean chit to Infosys for laying off hundreds of freshers.
"This report, which claims no employer-employee relationship existed, is a dangerous misinterpretation of labour ethics and disregards the lived realities of these young professionals,” a press note by the association, which is affiliated to the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), stated.
Pointing out that the trainees had adhered to company timelines, protocols and expectations during their six-month training, the note also specified that extending the agreement by two-and-a-half years, essentially retaining their services but denying them formal employee status, was a “blatant exploitation of power asymmetry".
“IIDEA asserts that such practices must not be normalised. Labour laws must evolve to recognise modern employment dynamics, including prolonged training phases, as de facto employer-employee relationships.
“We demand that regulatory bodies reassess the case through an ethical lens, acknowledging the socio-economic vulnerability of freshers. We call upon policymakers, civil society, and the industry to reject such practices and ensure corporate accountability in safeguarding workers’ rights," the note added.