T’puram: In a significant relief for hundreds of former employees of a state-based IT company, the company’s chief executive officer on Tuesday gave a written undertaking before the labour commissioner to clear the net salary arrears of the sacked employees by Oct 31.The assurance came during a conciliation meeting convened by the labour department at the labour commissioner’s office in Thiruvananthapuram. The meeting was attended by labour commissioner officials, Talrop Pvt Ltd CEO John Joseph and a five-member delegation representing the terminated employees from across the state, including Thiruvananthapuram.“This is a welcome and positive development for the employees. For the first time, the company has given a written assurance before the labour commissioner that the pending net salary will be paid to around 350 affected employees before Oct 31. We will wait until the deadline and decide our future course of action based on whether the company honours this commitment,” said Sahal P P, one of the employee representatives.Officials of the labour department described the agreement as an important step in the ongoing conciliation process.The meeting follows months of uncertainty after Talrop laid off more than 300 employees and shut down several of its ecosystem companies earlier this year, triggering protests and complaints before the labour authorities across Kerala. Employees had alleged that salaries remained unpaid for periods ranging from four to 11 months. The labour department subsequently initiated conciliation proceedings and sought explanations from the company.While Tuesday’s agreement provides temporary relief, several issues remain unresolved. Sahal said statutory dues, including provident fund settlements, gratuity and other employment-related benefits, are yet to be addressed. Discussions on those claims are expected only after the company fulfils its commitment to clear the salary arrears.
