IT employees union says TCS bench policy 'coercive' and 'punishing'

35-day bench rule pressures employees and promotes a culture of fear, says NITES

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A group representing India’s IT workers has sent a letter to the labour and employment ministry, accusing Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) of “coercive” and “punishing” practices under its new bench policy.

 

The policy, enforced by India's largest IT services provider last month, stipulates that employees can be without any project allocation for a maximum 35 days a year, after which they risk career de-growth or even termination.

 

"While on the surface it presents itself as a resource optimisation and engagement strategy, a closer and humane reading reveals that it institutionalises a culture of fear, pressure, and psychological burden on employees