Indian IT union in Karnataka recognized, but companies say it will fizzle out
Earlier this summer, Forum For IT Employees ( FITE ) was getting a lot of media attention. This was during the peak of 'Indian IT Layoff' debates of 2017. Now comes news that a state government in India is recognizing the "Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU)" Over the past decade, India’s information technology (IT) industry has seen multiple attempts to mobilise the workforce to form an active trade union. The efforts have finally yielded results, with Karnataka recognising the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) as a workers’ body to protect their interests. The development comes at a time when the IT sector is facing its worst disruption in a decade. However, top executives have questioned the significance of a trade union in the sector. In 2005, UNITES, a global trade union for IT workers affiliated to IBM, opened its Bengaluru office and looked to mobilise technology employees. However, the effort did not take off because soon after