Ex Bluelabs techies petition for PF
By Bala Shah

On Sept 27, Techgoss had exclusively reported on how the employees of an IT company in Kerala which went bust have thrashed their CEO online. They have spewed their frustration and anger in the form of comments on websites and IT forums. About 100 IT workers of an IT company in Infopark Kochi lost their jobs late September when the company suddenly shut shop one fine day. 

Some techies say they are owed lakhs of rupees.

Bluelabs Technology Solutions (www.bltsol.com), an IT services company, had closed its two operations based out of Infoparks at Trichur and Kochi in the third week of September, 2010.

Techgoss has now accessed a joint letter signed by 31 ex employees of Bluelabs Technology Solutions which alleges that their Provident Fund (PF) has not been paid even though it was deducted from their salaries

“
Kochi
24th September 2010

To
The Commissioner
Employee Provident Fund Office
Kaloor, Kochi

Sir

Subject: Issues with remittance of PF amount by the employer

We are ex-employees of Bluelabs Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd (a company at Leela Info Park, Kakkanad, Kochi). The company used to deduct a certain amount from our salary as a contribution towards employee provident fund. However, upon checking it has been understood that the amount has not yet been remitted into our respective PF accounts. Relevant details are given at the end, including signatures of individuals. 

I would therefore request you to kindly take necessary action to have this issue settled. We would be submitting the documents in proof of PF deductions whenever required.

(Of late, the company has been operating from this address: BlueLabs Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd, Gulmohar Building, Info park Smart Space, Nalukettu Road, Koratty (P O), Thrissur – 680308, Kerala, India)

Thanking You
“

*For obvious reasons, Techgoss has decided not to publish the names of the 31 signatories.

(Techgoss had published the following on Sept 27, 2010)

Ex employees thrash CEO online
By Bala Shah
 
The employees of an IT company in Kerala which went bust have thrashed their CEO online. They have spewed their frustration and anger in the form of comments on websites and IT forums. About 100 IT professionals of an IT company in Infopark Kochi lost their jobs early this week when the company suddenly shut shop one fine day.  Some techies say they are owed substantial dues.

Bluelabs Technology Solutions (www.bltsol.com), an IT services company, has closed its two operations based out of Infoparks at Trichur and Kochi. Some of the comments posted on Kerala IT News, a leading IT news portal from Kerala, in the last two days are:

"
“I am an ex employee of Blue labs. During employment period there, I never got my salary on time. Every time Mr XXXX* postpone salary dates and then breaks his own promises and salary get delayed further. For branding himself, he had put his profiles in some websites like Paragon100asia. But any award which is awarded to him will be a great dishonor to the award itself.”

“I am an Ex-employee of Bluelabs. We were around 98 employees working and the company was in a good position. But due to the extra-ordinary managerial skills possessed by XXXX the company has collapsed. It ended its operations and my pending salary is more than 2.5 lakhs (6 months salary)”

“I am also an ex-employee of Bluelabs. Mr. XXXX does not deserve to be called an entrepreneur. He is not enterprising, but a scheming, manipulative individual who has with his sugar coated words, befooled all around him. He made false promises to all employees about pending salary, when he never intended to pay it in the first place. Most of the employees supported him without salary for months together, till he abruptly put an end to the company operations, one fine morning.”
"

These comments have since been removed. When Techgoss contacted Kerala IT News (keralaitnews.com), the Editor said, “The CEO of the company got in touch with us saying they lost couple of major projects and payments worth Rs.6 crores got stuck. They had no option but to shut shop. We realise these things do happen in business and these comments would not reflect good on the IT industry in Kerala. Hence we removed them.”
 

(*XXXX CEO’s name removed to conceal identity.)

Note: Techgoss has a screen shot of the comments left on Kerala IT News

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