New Delhi (PTI): Unrest over mass retrenchments, economic slow down, social security concerns and upgrade of technical training facilities for unskilled workers in the country proved to be real posers for the labour ministry throughout 2008.

Things to cheer for the department include bringing nearly 450-lakh children into the formal education system, revising minimum wages and effecting changes in the legislations to protect women, children and workers.

The retrenchment unrest claimed a victim, the CEO of a Noida-based Italian company, who was lynched by contract employees after the firm laid off 218 of them.

Labour and Employment Minister Oscar Fernandes retorted angrily over the development at a public function but later apologised for his reaction following criticisms from various sections, including his colleagues in the government.

Again, seemingly under the impact of the global economic recession, the country's aviation major Jet Airways threw out 6,500 air and ground crews so that the "airline can register a profit in the face of swelling ATF prices".

A series of criticisms, "threats" and reprimands, including from the labour ministry, in the following few days of the airline's laying off made Jet Airways President Naresh Goyal find "a daughter" in every grieving Jet employee protesting her job cut over the TV screens and newspaper photographs that he hurriedly took back all retrenched staff.