Renault Nissan employees raise concern over Voluntary Separation Scheme

According to a settlement between the firm and RNITS, the company should discuss with the union before taking a call on any such separation or retirement schemes, the employees argue

Employees of the Renault Nissan Alliance India in Tamil Nadu’s Oragadam are concerned about the company’s voluntary separation scheme (VSS).
 
The company announced the scheme opening from September 7 for all the technical cadre employees at the manufacturing facility. But the early-bird offer is yet to find takers. The workers may consider exploring legal options if the firm chooses pressure tactics to get a better response, said sources from the factory.
 
According to a settlement between the firm and the Renault Nissan India Thozhilalar Sangam (RNITS) in 2016, which is valid up to 2019, the company should discuss with the union before taking a call on any such separation or retirement schemes, the employees argue.

 
“The employees are as of now not worried about the announcement of the VSS, as it is voluntary and they are anyway not interested. We are waiting to see what will happen after the early-bird period comes to an end. As far as I know, nobody has opted for the scheme so far,” says an employee on condition of anonymity. The firm has around 4,000 employees and majority of them are with the RNITS. The United Labour Federation (ULF) also claims it has influence among a section of the employees.
 
Most of the workers in the factory would be of around 25-35 years old and nobody would be willing to take the option, says an employee. “If we lose the job, it is very difficult to get another in any of the automobile manufacturing centres,” he says.
 

While some workers say the management has taken the decision as part of its preparation to launch the electric vehicles, others rule out any such reason behind the decision. The workers say the firm last week announced to hire 1,500 in the country.
 
A Centre of Indian Trade Unions leader says the workers’ union should take legal action against any move to forcibly make an employee resign. A source from ULF has said it is in touch with the workers and is keeping a watch on the situation.