Setting at rest all speculations, IT employees' union launched

Kolkata, Nov 14 (UNI) In what could have far reaching consequences, an employees union in the Information Technology sector was launched here today stoking speculations over future possibilities of strike in the 24-hour utility service sector.

The formal announcement of the launch of West Bengal Information Technology Services Association (WBITS), the CITU-affiliated new entity, was made at a function at Salt Lake sector five, the state's IT hub.

While CPI(M) MP Amitabha Nandy had been named president, CITU state committee president Shyamal Chakraborty was the advisor of WBITS.

A website of the association was also launched at the programme, attended among others, by state Transport Minister Subhash Chakraborty.

Addressing a rally, organised on this occasion, Mr Nandy said the organisation would not be confined into the state and it would be given a national character in future.

However, allaying fear of any disruption in work because of employees' movement, Mr Nandy assured the IT industry in the state would not be different from other parts of the country. '' Some people are apprehending an upheavel. But there is nothing to worry.

The working atmosphere in the state's IT sector would be the same as that elsewhere in the country, '' he said.

Mr Nandy said the association had been formed to facilitate settlement of issues concerning the employees' interests.

Speaking in a different vein, the Transport Minister said it was up to the employees to strike or not to go for it.

He flayed those opposing strike in the IT sector, and said why such questions were not raised in the case of daily labourers, the most affected lot in the event of a strike.

The formation of WBITS, which had already created ripples in the state, especially among employers in the IT sector, who held a meeting among themselves last week to discuss strategies in the event of any strike in the 24-hour service sector.

IT big names, including Wipro, Congnizant, Tata Consultancy, IBM and Globsyn, have their units in the sector five.

The issue also triggered a debate within the CPI(M) even though Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee appeared firm in protecting this sunrise sector in the state against any ceasework.

Throwing his weight behind the Chief Minister, veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu said the industry should be treated at par with the essential services and if at all IT employees wanted to resort to strike, they would have to abide by the rules of Essential Services laws.

His comment was diametrically opposite to what his protege and Transport Minister Subhash Chakraborty and CITU leaders had said earlier defending the right to strike in the sector.

The debate over the propriety of holding strike in IT sector received momentum in view of the the proposed Left-sponsored nationwide strike on December 14.

While the Chief Minister had asserted that measures similar to that initiated during the last month's Trinamool-sponsored bandh would be taken on December 14, CITU leaders remained non-committal, saying a decision whether IT would be brought under the purview of the strike would be taken on December 12.

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