A day after Karnataka IT firms submitted a proposal to the state government to extend the working hours of employees from 12 to 14 (including overtime), social media users have called the move inhuman.
According to the proposal, an "employee in the IT/ITeS/BPO sector may be required or allowed to work more than 12 hours a day and not exceeding 125 hours in three continuous months."
"The request by the IT firms in Karnataka to extend the working hours to 14 hours per day should be dismissed by the govt. It's totally inhumane, and everyone should oppose it," wrote Derin J Tom (@derinjtom) on X. "This plea also means that the companies want to cut off jobs and have their employees log in to work only for two shifts."
"Extending employee working hours to 14 hours? IT firms in Karnataka, think again!" commented X user Savvy (@WittySavvy). "Employees' health and job security must come first. Let's prioritise well-being over overwork.
Meanwhile, a doctor pointed out that working hours should ideally be 36 to 48 hours a week; which amounts to six to 10 hours a week. "Ideally, working hours should be limited to 36-48 hrs a week else it would affect physical as well as mental health of the employees," Dr Shubham Anand, chairman of Global Association of Indian Medical Students (GAIMS), said.
Meanwhile, a senior labour department official told Moneycontrol that a proposal to increase working hours has been on the discussion table for some time. "There has been a demand from the IT/ITES/BPO sector to extend the timings, and stakeholder meetings are ongoing, but we haven't decided on it yet."
In a statement, KITU general secretary Suhas Adiga said: "The proposed 'Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2024' attempts to normalise a 14-hour workday. The existing act allows a maximum of 10 hours of work per day, including overtime, which has been completely lifted in the current amendment. It will enable IT/ITES companies to extend the daily hours of work indefinitely."
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