Stressed out by long working hours and conditions often described as inadequte, employees of India's booming BPO industry are reportedly setting up a trade union of their own.

The union, formed without requisite approvals from government departments, hopes to negotiate terms and conditions with their company's British and American clients, a report that appeared on the website of Times UK has said.

The BPO Union was reportedly formed after a dispute between MNC call centre Keane India and its staff over the alleged sacking of 400 members without adequate compensation. Keane India provides support to the US government and British auto-spares manufacturer Unipart.

Interestingly, the union leaders have remained largely anonymous and all that is known about them comes out on the group's website.

"We request that either an appropriate severance package be given to the sacked employees or they be reinstated, failing positive action from you we retain the right to lawful, logical and legal means to get our grievances resolved," the website says.

The message further says that instead of coming out in strike, the employees union would target their company's share price and work towards eroding investor confidence by contacting key clients and briefing them about "how the firm was being run".

India's labour laws do not pay credence to such anonymous notices and postings and the only way that such a union can seek legal validity is to register their body with the appropriate authorities and then call for industrial action.