Nokia staff asks Tamil Nadu CM to ensure job security

The Union asked the government to interfere in the matter to ensure the job security of the workers

The Nokia India Employees Union on Saturday urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to ensure job security for the employees at Nokia’s handset manufacturing facility in Sriperumbudur near here. In a letter to the chief minister, A Soundararajan, member of the legislative Assembly and the union’s honorary president, said the state government should immediately direct the company to withdraw the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS).

The union also sought the government direct the company to bring back the manufacturing jobs that were shifted from the plant to other countries. It said Nokia India should be run by Nokia Finland, failing which the company should transfer the facility to Microsoft.

The union said if these issues weren't addressed, it would lead to tension. It pointed to the fact that through the last eight years, Tami Nadu government had given several incentives to the company.

The overall employee count at the Sriperumbudur facility stood at about 7,000, including 5,200 directly-employed workers and 750 contract workers. On April 10, the company had announced a VRS, without discussing it with the Union or the labour department. So far, 700 contact workers, 800 team leaders and 730 trainees have availed of the VRS.

The company has also said it will discontinue bus services for workers at the plant, along with several other amenities. "Indirectly, the company has been threatening us through oral instructions," the union alleged.

Workers at the plant have been upset about the exclusion of the facility from the Microsoft-Nokia deal. On April 25, Microsoft took over Nokia Corporation's devices and Services business. Nokia's Indian and Korean facilities were, however, not part of the deal.

The workers have been urging the central and state governments and the Nokia India management to ensure the Sriperumbudur facility, along with all the employees there, are transferred to Microsoft.

The facility was excluded from the deal with Microsoft, owing to tax issues. The tax department had frozen the asset and issued a Rs 21,000-crore tax notice to the company. The department refused to allow the transfer of the plant till the company cleared its dues.