Workers at Nokia Chennai factory go on hunger strike

Chennai factory seized by income tax authority and tranfser of facility to Microsoft as per deal still uncertain

Nokia workers at the factory, went on for a hunger strike inside the factory, on Monday to mark their protest against the uncertainty over the job security in the Chennai facility.

M Saravanakumar, president of the Nokia India Employees Union said that the workers boycotted the canteen and went on a hunger strike, but did not stop the work. He said, on a day the factory runs in two shifts and each shift runs for nine hours.

He alleged that while the factory is seized by the income tax authority and the tranfser of the facility to Microsoft as per the deal is still uncertain, the management is not addressing the concerns of the employees.

"We are worried of the situation. The management is not giving us proper reply on the fate of the factory or the job security of the workers," said Kumar. There are around 8,000 employees under direct employment in the facility where as around 21,000 are employed indirectly for the company in Sriperumbudur.

Meanwhile, sources inform that almost all the over 700 trainees are resigning from the company, accepting the retirement option offered by the company. According to the union sources, the package offered by the company for trainees include three month gross salary along with Rs 2 lakh as compensation.

While the company has announced for Voluntary Retirement Scheme, the Union has said that it will not take the offer and the employees need job security.