As many as 1,900 employees of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) Telecom Foundation (TF) become the victim of the first largest lay-off in the PTCL after the new management took over in April, this year.
The Telecom Foundation (TF) employees had been serving the telecom utility on daily wages since around 1992. Out of the 1,900, over 200 belongs to Karachi.
According to documents made available for Business Recorder, PTCL management in December last, through an official communication had agreed not to terminate the services of these daily-wagers, as their cases were under consideration to determine the genuineness and authenticity and if recommended by the respective general managers, to be considered for regularisation under new terms and conditions. Interestingly, this move came even after all the General Mangers had recommended regularising all of them.
Sources said that the PTCL management, on Thursday, via e-mail directed the concerned general managers across the country to issue the letters of contract termination for hiring the services of manpower.
According to the draft letter bearing the subject 'Termination of contract for hiring the services of manpower,' the services provided under the 'TF Contract' are no more required, therefore, under the terms of the contract, PTCL terminates the same forthwith. However, PTCL will provide the consideration for one month in lieu of notice period.
This draft letter was issued to all the general managers concerned with reference to the meeting held on October 3 at PTCL Headquarters, Islamabad and presided over by SEVP HR, Salim Ali Al-Akbari, which decided to observe retrenchment at the company. Meanwhile, PTCL Telecom Foundation Daily Wages Action Committee held an emergency session at GM office compound. The leaders of the Action committee including Chairman Arshan Ali and President Shah Jehan Shaikh condemned the move and demanded of the government and the concerned authorities to take note of the situation.
They said dismissing 1,900 daily wagers of Telecom Foundation and 150 contractual employees in the holy month of Ramazan was extreme excess to the employees.
President PTCL Employees Lions Unity, Latif Qureshi has also condemned the move and added that dismissing such a large number of employees in Ramazan was not at all justified.