Karnataka IT firms propose a 14-hour workday extension, sparking severe employee opposition due to health and job security concerns.
IT firms in Karnataka have submitted a proposal to the state government demanding an extension of employee working hours to 14 hours. This move has met with severe opposition from employees, who have called it inhuman, citing health issues and layoff concerns.
The Karnataka government is reportedly considering amending the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, to include this proposal. The IT companies want to legally extend work hours to 14 hours a day (12 hours plus 2 hours overtime). According to the new proposal, employees in the IT/ITeS/BPO sector may be required or allowed to work more than 12 hours a day, not exceeding 125 hours in three continuous months.
An initial meeting has been held by the government on this matter, and further decisions are expected soon. The proposal is likely to be discussed by the Cabinet.
The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has strongly opposed the move to extend working hours. In a statement, the union warned that one-third of the workforce would be out of employment if the number of working shifts is reduced.
"This amendment will allow companies to go for a two-shift system instead of the currently existing three-shift system, and one-third of the workforce will be thrown out of their employment,” the union said.
KITU also highlighted studies on the health impact of extended working hours among IT employees. According to a report by KCCI, 45% of employees in the IT sector face mental health issues such as depression, and 55% face physical health impacts. Increasing working hours will further aggravate these issues, the union argued.
The employees’ union accused the state government of viewing employees as mere machines rather than human beings. They urged the Siddaramaiah government to reconsider and not implement the demand put forth by IT firms.
"This amendment shows that the government of Karnataka is not ready to consider workers as human beings who need personal and social life to survive. Instead, it considers them only as machinery to increase the profit of the corporates whom it serves,” the union's statement further said.
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 "IT sector proposes increased working hours")
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