Bengaluru, Jun 24 (IANS): Members of the Information Technology Employees' Union (ITEU) on Saturday sought the intervention of Karnataka's IT Minister Priyank Kharge to prevent illegal layoffs by software firms in the state.

"We urge Kharge to intervene and prevent arbitrary and illegal retrenchment of thousands of employees by software companies in the state," ITEU President A.C. Kumara Swamy told reporters here.

Swamy alleged that software major Wipro Ltd was set to sack about 6,000 employees by June 30 and many more IT firms were planning to do the same in the near future.

"The state government should soon convene a meeting with IT firms to stop such illegal layoffs," reiterated Swamy.

Though the union members met Kharge on June 5 with the same demand, the minister was yet to initiate talks with the IT companies on feared retrenchments.

"We expect the IT minister to come to our rescue," said Swamy.

The union also alleged that many IT firms were putting work pressure on junior employees through their middle level managers to meet targets without concern for their health and welfare.

"Many employees are compelled to resign due to work pressure and long-working hours," said ITEU Secretary M. Chandramouli.

The union secretary also urged the state Labour Minister and Labour Commissioner to intervene in the interest of about one million employees in the state's IT industry.

"We want IT firms to give at least two-month notice to their employees before retrenching them. They should also be given severance package with one-year salary and medical insurance cover for next 12 months," added Chandramouli.