Prathidhwani Condemns TCS Over ‘Inhumane’ Termination Policy

Thiruvananthapuram: Prathidhwani, the welfare organisation of IT employees, has strongly condemned what it described as shocking reports of mass terminations at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

In a statement on Tuesday, the group said the manner in which employees were being treated was “nothing short of inhumane.” It alleged that workers were being forced to resign within minutes over phone calls, often with HR officials using rude and threatening language, which it termed a blatant violation of employee dignity and fundamental rights.

Prathidhwani warned that this “pink slip culture” ("Pink slip' culture refers to a work environment where employees frequently receive pink slips, which are formal notices of dismissal or termination, often used to signal job loss due to downsizing, poor performance, or other reasons. ) cannot and must not be normalised.

“Employees are not disposable commodities; they are the backbone of the IT industry and the driving force behind its global success,” it said, adding that companies like TCS, built on the relentless hard work of lakhs of employees, carry a moral and social responsibility to support, reskill, and upskill their workforce instead of abandoning them in the name of “business needs.”

The organisation further expressed alarm at what it called the absence of clear criteria or transparent guidelines for the terminations. “Instead of a structured approach, it appears to be an arbitrary exercise aimed at meeting headcount reduction targets, leaving employees helpless and uncertain about their futures,” the statement added.

Demanding an immediate end to the practice, Prathidhwani urged TCS and all IT companies to adopt a humane, people-first approach where respect, training, and job security form the foundation of a responsible organisation, rather than fear, intimidation, and forced resignations.

Reaffirming its solidarity with IT employees in their fight against unfair terminations, Prathidhwani said it has already submitted representations to both State and Central government authorities, urging them to intervene without delay and hold companies accountable for such practices.