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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
IT employees raise red flag, Karnataka's labour department says no change in weekly hours
Bengaluru: Even as the Karnataka labour department insists that proposed amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act-1961 will not breach the 48-hour weekly cap, the state's tech workforce remains unconvinced. The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU), which led a protest in Bengaluru, argued that the proposed amendments would institutionalise excessive workloads. The department, however, claims the changes are intended to provide "flexibility" to employers and employees, allowing them to complete their weekly quota over fewer days. At the centre of the controversy is the department's plan to increase daily working hours from 9 to 10, and the maximum permissible overtime from 50 to 144 hours per quarter. This could allow for up to 12-hour workdays, including overtime. Citing long-standing concerns over unpaid overtime and chronic overwork, many fear the draft amendments will legalise exploitative practices that have become rampant in the IT and ITeS sector. "Even if you cap the week at 48 hours, that still averages to about 9.6 hours over five days. Add the legalised overtime — about 2.5 hours per day — and we're back to 12-hour shifts. And overtime compensation? It doesn't exist in practice," an IT employee said. Employees told TOI that existing loopholes enable companies to demand long hours without paying for them. The fear now is that the amendments will provide a legal cover for what is currently an unspoken but widely followed practice. KITU general secretary Suhas Adiga, who attended a recent stakeholders' meeting organised by the department, pointed out lack of transparency. "We asked for data on how many employees are working overtime and what they're paid. The minister admitted that not a single company responded. There's no data. No accountability," he said. KITU's official stance is that the move will exacerbate health risks, erode work-life balance, and push employees further into burnout. Chitra Banu, KITU member, was unequivocal in her stance. "It won't get implemented; we won't let it happen." Not everyone in the industry opposes the move. Adithya M, who works at a Bengaluru-based startup, said: "I've been working 10–12 hour days anyway. My body and mind are used to it. This isn't a big deal for startup folks." According to union leaders, this is precisely the problem — the new norms are merely catching up with exploitative realities instead of challenging them. "Now that 144 hours of overtime per quarter is legal, we're just putting a rubber stamp on what's been happening illegally," KITU secretary Sooraj Nidiyanga said. The labour department maintains that the changes are aligned with International Labour Organisation (ILO) norms and are part of broader efforts to modernise labour law. But the discontent from the ground tells another story — one of disconnect between legislative intent and lived experience. For now, the IT sector's fears remain unresolved, with trust in short supply and clarity even shorter.
India Today
19 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
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 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 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 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 unions are determined to fight the proposal and safeguard workers' rights across the 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 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 by Sneha A Suneeth
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Business Standard
21 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
12-hour work shift in IT? Karnataka govt faces backlash over proposal
The Karnataka government's proposal to amend existing labour laws and extend working hours in the IT, ITeS, and BPO sectors to 12 hours a day has triggered widespread criticism from employee unions and ignited debate across social media. In a meeting held on Wednesday by the state's Labour Department with industry stakeholders and trade unions, it was suggested that the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act be amended to permit a longer workday. At present, the Act limits work to a maximum of 10 hours per day, including overtime. The Karnataka State IT/ITES Employees Union (KITU) strongly opposed the proposal, describing it as a "form of modern-day slavery" and accusing the government of prioritising corporate profits over workers' rights. The union warned that enabling 12-hour shifts could lead to a two-shift system replacing the current three-shift system, potentially rendering one-third of the workforce redundant. 'This amendment will normalise inhuman conditions. It's not about productivity, it's about appeasing corporate bosses by turning workers into machines,' said KITU leader Suhas Adiga to news agency PTI after attending the meeting alongside fellow unionist Lenil Babu. KITU argued that such a move would erode work-life balance, worsen mental health issues, and further entrench job insecurity in the IT sector. Citing the State Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024, the union highlighted that 90 per cent of corporate employees under the age of 25 already suffer from anxiety. The union also pointed to global trends, noting that many countries are now recognising the negative effects of extended work hours and are enacting laws to establish the "right to disconnect" as a fundamental employee right. Narayan Murthy hours: Internet trolls 12-hour workday proposal As news of the government's proposal spread, social media erupted with memes and commentary. Many memes and jokes involved Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who last year controversially advocated for a 70-hour workweek and criticised the concept of work-life balance. One user dubbed the proposed 12-hour shifts as "Narayana Murthy hours", another wrote, 'Narayana Murthy laughing in the corner after hearing that the Karnataka government plans to increase work hours to 12 hours per day for IT workers'. During the CNBC-TV18 Global Leadership Summit last year, Murthy had argued that as a developing country, India cannot afford the luxury of reduced working hours. He said that hard work and dedication were essential to achieve economic growth, remarking, 'We first have to get a life, then we can worry about work-life balance'. Despite the uproar, the Karnataka government has not issued an official clarification on the proposed changes or whether they will move forward with the legislative amendment. Meanwhile, KITU has called for collective resistance from all employees in the sector.
India Today
a day ago
- Business
- India Today
IT workers in sight, Karnataka govt may allow companies to make employees work 12-hr a day
The Karnataka government is mulling a major amendment to its labor laws that could increase the typical workday in companies and organisations to 10 hours, and in some cases to 12 hours, including overtime. The step, meant to align local regulations with national labour reforms and make operational procedures simpler for businesses, has sparked strong protests from trade unions in the to The Hindu, the proposal entails changes to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, presently allowing for a maximum of nine working hours a day. Under the new framework, workers could be allowed to work 10 hours a day and 48 hours a week with a maximum of 12 hours of work, including overtime every state Labour Department conducted a consultative meeting on Wednesday with members from both the industry and labour unions to discuss the amendments. Though the government contends that the reforms will ease processes for small businesses, such as record-keeping and certification, the action has been sharply criticised by workers' groups, especially in the technology sector. Trade unions, spearheaded by the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU), have denounced the draft amendment, cautioning that it will have disastrous implications for employee well-being. "The government is trying to make inhuman conditions the norm. This amendment is not for productivity—it's to appease corporate honchos by reducing human beings to machines," stated Suhas Adiga, KITU leader, reported The Hindu. advertisementThe union has termed the move a move towards "modern-day slavery" and has appealed to workers in all sectors to organize against the move. KITU has threatened that the extension of the legal workday to 12 hours would open the way for a two-shift system, which could result in huge layoffs. "The change would legalise 12-hour shifts and enable a two-shift structure, potentially wiping out one-third of the workforce," the union government's push comes amidst wider national labour reforms. Between 2019 and 2020, the Union government enacted four Labour Codes with a view to consolidating and updating India's labour laws. These codes provided states with an opportunity to decide on the thresholds for work hours, leading to various states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand enacting identical legislation increasing work-hour watchers opine that Karnataka's vibrant information technology industry has much to gain if the amendment materialises. Longer hours might provide IT companies with greater flexibility in their operations and easier synchronisation with international time zones, they labour activists caution that business gains perceived here have a cost to workers' psychological and physical health. KITU and other trade unions are calling on the government to revisit the proposal and open a wider, more open discussion that includes employees from across all industries. "It's not only a labour issue; it's a human issue. The priority should be to maintain dignity and ensure work-life balance," Adiga Labour Department has made no official comment after Wednesday's meeting, and the draft amendment has not been brought to the legislature. But signs of unrest imply that any move to implement such far-reaching changes without broader consultation would be likely to spark mass protests and industrial action in the state.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
12-hour shifts for Bengaluru techies? Karnataka govt's proposal sparks outrage among IT unions, who call it 'modern-day slavery'
Representative Image NEW DELHI: The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has called on workers across sectors to resist the state government's proposed move to increase daily working hours in the IT, ITeS, and BPO sectors to 12 hours. Several trade unions on Wednesday voiced strong opposition to the alleged proposal during a meeting convened by the Labour Department to discuss a possible amendment to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act. The amendment reportedly seeks to increase the daily work limit from the current maximum of 10 hours, including overtime, to 12 hours. KITU, which participated in the meeting, described the proposal as a form of "modern-day slavery" and appealed to employees to unite in opposition. It warned that the change would severely impact work-life balance and job security. KITU leaders Suhas Adiga and Lenil Babu were among those who attended the meeting with industry representatives and labour officials. Noting that the law currently allows up to 10 working hours per day including overtime, KITU alleged that the amendment would "legalise 12-hour shifts and facilitate a two-shift system, potentially eliminating one-third of the workforce." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like USDJPY đang đi lên không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The union also claimed that the move prioritises corporate profits over employee welfare. '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 Suhas Adiga. KITU also cited mental health concerns, pointing to the findings of the State Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024, which stated that 90 per cent of corporate employees under 25 suffer from anxiety. The union reiterated its stance that the proposed change undermines workers' fundamental rights and vowed to continue resisting it.
