The Karnataka State IT/ITES Employees Union (KITU) has opposed the state government's proposal to extend work hours in the IT, ITES, and BPO sectors to 12 hours a day.
The draft amendment to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, was discussed on June 18 in meeting of all stakeholders called by the labour department . The amendment seeks to increase work hours from 9 to 10, with a maximum of 12 hours a day, including overtime. It also proposes raising the overtime cap from 50 to 144 hours over three months.
KITU slammed the move, calling it an “attack on the basic right of any worker to have a personal life”. The union warned that 12-hour shifts would reduce the three-shift systems to two, potentially slashing jobs by a third.
Also read: Karnataka IT Employees Union opposes proposal to extend working hours
Referring to the 2024 "State Emotional Wellbeing Report", KITU said 90 percent of Indian corporate employees under 25 suffer from anxiety, adding longer work hours would worsen mental health issues. It also reminded the government of the recent death of a software engineer at Ola’s AI unit, who allegedly died by suicide, blaming work pressure.
“This amendment views workers as machines to fuel corporate profits,” the union said, accusing the government of ignoring global trends that favour shorter workweeks and the right to disconnect.
A similar proposal for a 14-hour workday in 2024 was rolled back following protests, KITU said. The government pushing forward with the plan would be seen as a direct challenge to Karnataka’s 20 lakh IT/ITES employees, calling on workers to unite and resist what it called “modern-day slavery.”
The draft cites the Centre's recommendation to align state labour laws with recent changes in states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. It also says establishments with fewer than 10 employees would be exempt from filing annual returns.
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