A large number of IT professionals who were laid-off by Verizon Data Services India last year in December, reportedly gathered outside the Labour Office in Chennai. Alagunambi Welkin, convener of the Union of IT and ITES Employees explained the reason behind the protest, saying that following the firing of several hundred employees of Verizon, the laid-off employees had filed a petition against the Verizon management. The follow-up meeting, which was scheduled to happen today at the labour was cancelled as the Labour officer had to attend another meeting. Also, the meeting has been allegedly rescheduled at the convenience of the Verizon management and the former employees were not consulted. This enraged the former employees who decided to air their displeasure by protesting outside the Labour Office.