Huge Job cuts shake Ericsson Bangladesh

Huge Job cuts shake Ericsson Bangladesh --- Daily Sun Widespread jobs cuts at LM Ericsson Bangladesh Ltd forced several employ...

Huge Job cuts shake Ericsson Bangladesh

--- Daily Sun

Widespread jobs cuts at LM Ericsson Bangladesh Ltd forced several employees to go to the labour court.

Around 200 permanent and temporary employees have been terminated from the Product Services and the Operations & Development Departments from September 2016 to March 2017.

“I worked for 10 years for the network operation centre (NOC) at LM Ericsson Bangladesh Ltd since 2007. But they terminated me in February without paying any termination benefits,” Engineer Nazmul Haque Talukder told daily sun on Thursday.

He also informed that 50-70 first-level employees have been sacked without paying any benefits as per the labour law.

Mohammed Zahed Sarwar, a former staff at the Field Service Engineering department demanded six years’ gratuity and other termination benefits from Ericsson as per the labour law.

“If you (Ericsson) fail to pay the termination benefits, I will go to court to realise my compensations,” he asked his former employer in a letter sent via registered post.

The affected staff members said LM Ericsson Bangladesh Ltd is violating section 26(3) (4) of Bangladesh Labour Law by not paying due benefits to the employees affected by the job cuts.

“The company has also violated the terms of the temporary appointments for the field service engineers,” alleged Md Abu Nasim, who was terminated recently.

“Termination of appointments should have been subject to a 15-day notice or a gross salary in lieu of the notice,” he said.

Mr.Nasim said he went to the labour court as his job contract was terminated with a 10-day notice.

“LM Ericsson Bangladesh Ltd informed us they have no alternative to reducing manpower as their business in Bangladesh was declining,” he said.

Several employees affected by the job cuts said the Huawei Bangladesh had compensated their staff during their job cuts last year.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has also fixed a standard for voluntary retirement services for the merger between Robi and Airtel.

“But Ericson didn’t follow the standard,” he alleged, adding that the company has been replacing many positions with foreign staff.

Abu Nasim also called upon the authorities to see if the appointment of foreign nationals is adhering to the rules and regulations including that of obtaining work permits.

LM Ericsson Bangladesh Ltd has inked a service contract with Global Services India and it has recruited different level of engineers from the Indian company, insiders have said.

When contacted for comment, Mir Awal Khademur Rahman, Human Resources director of LM Ericsson Bangladesh Ltd, said, “I am not authorised to make any comment about the job cuts. Please talk with my higher authority on this matter.”