Nokia staff families reach a dead end

 

This is the general plight of the 4000-odd Nokia workers who have lost their jobs during last one year with the suspension of operations of the handset-making unit. The company announced that it would cease production from November 1.

 

Mostly in the age group of 25-30 years, all these plus-2 passed youth are finding it difficult to get another job. And the scenario is worse in the case of couples like Ratnam-Deepa who had met at work in the age of 19, fell in love and got married. 

 

In 2006, when Nokia had started the factory, it had specifically called for 18 and 19-year-old plus-two educated applicants. With the prospects of working with a MNC shining bright, a number of these folks who had joined college ended up discontinuing education and joining the factory.

 

“I was in my first year of B.A but when the factory advertised for an operator job, my parents who were farm field workers forced me to quit college and join work,” says 28-year-old Jai hailing from Tiruvannamalai. 

 

But now, when they apply for other jobs even at the entry level, these under-qualified folks who end up competing with engineering students and other grads stand no chance.  

 

“When we say we are former Nokia employees, most companies reject our application for the fear of trade unionism,” said 27-year-old Suresh of Tindivanam. 

 

“Even if some company agrees, they are willing to give only a Rs 3,500-Rs 6,000 per month as per fresher scale,” laments the man, who had been drawing salary of Rs 17,000 per month. Even those  who had opted for the Rs 6-lakh VRS package of the company are reported to be in the same plight. “Ninety per cent of those workers are still unemployed,” says Diwakar.

 

“Though the prospect of a lump sum lured many folks, with about one lakh taken away as income tax, they have nothing left now,” he adds. 

With no clue about what the future beholds for them, Deepa is now worried if her son will ever get to continue in “the English medium school.”