Information technology (IT) employee union Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) staged a protest in Bengaluru’s Freedom Park again on March 9 in its push for labour law reforms in the IT sector, citing excessive work hours and unpaid overtime.
KITU urged stricter enforcement of labour regulations and an end to exemptions that allow IT firms to bypass important employee protection.
On March 13, 2024, the union submitted a memorandum to the Labour Minister, alleging that IT and IT-enabled services (ITES) companies are extending work hours beyond permissible limits and failing to compensate employees for overtime. Consequently, the demand follows KITU’s earlier protest on August 3 at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park, where members opposed the increasing work-hour burden on IT employees.
At the time, Manjunath G, Additional Commissioner, Labour Department, assured protestors that the government would consider their demands.
As part of its renewed push, KITU staged the protest with IT sector employees with four demands: enforcing daily work-hour limits to prevent burnout, revoking the IT sector’s exemption from the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, taking strict action against labour law violations, and implementing a ‘Right to Disconnect’ policy to protect employees from after-hours work pressure.
The demands come amid growing discontent over work-life balance in the IT sector, with employees often required to work extended hours without additional pay.
The union’s president VJK Nayar said the protest is not against businessmen, but against politicians who are collaborating with the “foreign multinational's and Indian multinational's to delay a decent life for our people.”
Rashmi Choudhary, Vice President of KITU, cited a recent University of Hyderabad study revealing that over 84% of IT employees suffer from Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), a condition linked to prolonged sitting, work-related stress, poor diet, and lack of physical activity.
Earlier Protest
Karnataka government's controversial proposal to extend working hours for the IT/ITes employees drew widespread criticism. The state government considered amending the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, which would allow companies to extend overtime and the total working hours a day for an employee.
The government had said the aim was to increase the state's share of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India from 45 percent to 50 percent, according to the documents accessed by Moneycontrol. Additionally, the document mentions that the maximum overtime hours are fixed at 125 hours over three months, to ensure that such extended shifts are infrequent.
Also, read: The real reason why Karnataka government is increasing working hours of IT employees
Scuffle at protest
A scuffle broke out when protestors attempted to burn the effigies of two well-known India Inc figures who had made statements on employee work hours. Police intervened, stating that burning effigies was not permitted. However, protestors argued that they were burning a poster, not an effigy, and insisted they should be allowed to proceed.
This led to an altercation, with slogans being raised.
Despite the police’s efforts, protestors ultimately burned the poster, claiming they had done the same during their August 3 demonstration.
Meanwhile, Ram, CEC Member, KITU, highlighted the critical role of IT professionals in maintaining societal functions, from banking systems to artificial intelligence, and criticised the tendency of employers to take their contributions for granted.
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