Hyderabad, February 23: The 48-hour strike which began on Tuesday might have affected the business, employment or education sectors. But for the IT and software sector, it was business as usual. Presence of a fool-proof security system and coordinated management decisions in wake of the strike helped in smooth functioning of IT companies.
An employee of a leading IT company, B Rohith said, “Since its a strike today, the timings of pick-up of company buses have changed. Usually we have many pick-up timings from early morning and employees avail the service depending on their shift. But on Tuesday and Wednesday, everybody has to take the 8 a.m bus and they would be dropped home by 5 p.m. This is being done so that employees are transported to office well in advance and again dropped home before it gets late.” He added that his company also made all arrangements for employees to stay back if the situation got tense outside. A spokesperson for Infotech said, “We are functioning as usual and there has not been any problem. We are making sure that employees come to office early and safely.” The IT department too was well on its toes and acted upon any complaints received from companies. Though there were reports of IT cabs being stopped by a few protestors, no major incidents were reported. L Suresh, president, ItsAP (IT & ITES Industry Association of Andhra Pradesh) said, “As per my knowledge none of the IT or software companies have declared holiday. They are not in a position to give a holiday for bandhs as it affects them companies badly. The protests might pose problems for at the most five to ten percent employees who come on their own.” Suresh also felt IT companies have adequate protection which helps employees working without pressure.
However, he appealed to the government to resolve the Telangana issue since it might affect the business prospects of the sector in the future.
–Agencies