Proposal for 12-hour tech firm workdays faces strong opposition in Karnataka

The Karnataka government's proposal to raise work hours for private firms to 12 hours daily faces strong opposition from employees, including the Information Technology/Information Technology Enabled Services (IT/ITeS) workers' association.A meeting was held by the state's Labour Department on Wednesday with industry and trade union leaders regarding a proposed 12-hour workday amendment to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act.advertisementThe Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) strongly opposed the proposal, calling it "modern-day slavery." KITU leaders Suhas Adiga and Lenil Babu, who attended the meeting, asked all workers to come together against the change, warning it could badly affect work-life balance and job security.
The KITU highlighted that current laws allow a maximum of 10 working hours per day, including overtime. They said the proposed change would legalise 12-hour shifts and a two-shift system, which could cause the loss of one-third of existing jobs.The union accused the government of putting corporate profits ahead of worker welfare and ignoring basic employee rights. 'The government is attempting to normalise inhuman conditions. This amendment is not about productivity — it's about pleasing corporate bosses by turning human beings into machines,' said Adiga, KITU leader.advertisementCiting the 'State Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024', KITU also raised concerns about rising mental health issues, noting that 90 per cent of corporate employees under the age of 25 suffer from anxiety.Trade unions are determined to fight the proposal and safeguard workers' rights across the sector.Similarly, last year, IT firms in Karnataka had reportedly proposed extending employee work hours to 14 hours a day, including overtime, through an amendment to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961. The move faced strong opposition from employees, who called it inhuman and raised concerns about health and layoffs.Earlier this month, the Andhra Pradesh government amended the labour laws in the state to increase the maximum working hours for private sector employees from nine to hours – in what it said was with the aim of boosting investment and industry.Written by Sneha A Suneeth

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