By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In a melodramatic turn of events, employees of SS Netcom Pvt. Ltd., an IT Firm and customer service centre were retrenched on Thursday morning and re-employed in the evening. The affected employees of the SS Netcom Pvt. Ltd. run Call Centre – which caters to incoming calls of Aircel customers – alleged that around 60% employees were retrenched by the management of the firm. The management on the contrary claimed that only 30% employees have been retrenched.
Speaking to this daily, the affected employees said that the moment they logged into their respective desks on Thursday morning, they were asked to leave without any prior notice. “We were told on Wednesday that some would be listed out but they did not tell us when. The management has targeted the senior employees so that they can recruit other employees in their place,” alleged an agitating employee.
Another employee alleged that the management has also targeted randomly employees who have worked for the last six months to five years.
One employee said he was asked to leave due to the new national policy of Aircel for which the call centre process has to be changed from per login / hour to per connect minute that will come into force from January 15. “When we met the management this morning we were told that we could leave because some new employees would join within ten days,” alleged another employee.
One person who has worked for three years said that many employees are running their families and others are pursuing their studies while working in this call centre. Employees who spoke to this scribe complained that they don’t get their monthly salaries on time. “We usually get the previous month’s salary in the last week of the current month.
They claimed that the management has even closed down the canteen services in order to be able to pay salaries on time. “As per the appointment letter, they are to provide us food,” they alleged. “They introduce new rules every month and make double deduction if an employee goes on leave and even during festive season. We are not allowed to take leave even if we are ill,” they said.
The SS Netcom employees were seen agitating outside their office on Thursday demanding that no one should be retrenched. They accused the management of failing in its commitment to provide free food and free medical treatment. The company follows a 30 day termination notice period from both sides.
Meanwhile, Debopriyo Deb, CEO clarified that the staff staged a one-day strike after the Aircel Company management retrenched 35 customer care executives (CCE) from the call centre. He said that the 35 CCEs were terminated as part of Aircel’s policy to downsize the centre by 35 employees based on their performance in the last six months.
“No employee will be retrenched and our client has confirmed that. I have asked the agitating employees to come and login to their desk,” he said. But the employees wanted a written confirmation from the management to which the CEO obliged, immediately. He also said that company has a very less attrition rate and the employee strength of the call centre is 185.
On the allegation of untimely payment of salaries the CEO clarified that the firm depends upon payment received from clients and also on employees having a bank account. “The canteen was closed due to complaints about food. The same is relocated in the new building where construction is going on,” said the CEO.