Karnataka IT Employees Union opposes proposal to extend working hours

The state government is considering amending the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961. 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".

Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) on July 20 opposed a proposal to extend the working hours of employees in the IT/ITES/BPO sector.

The state government is considering amending the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961. 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."

Also, read: Bengaluru: Karnataka IT employees' union demands labour dept to end exemption for tech firms under Industrial Employment Act

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."

"This amendment will allow companies to adopt a two-shift system instead of the current three-shift system, potentially leading to one-third of the workforce losing their jobs," it said.

Further, the statement said: "The Karnataka government, in their eagerness to please corporate interests, neglects the fundamental rights of individuals to have personal and social lives. This amendment shows a disregard for workers as human beings, viewing them only as machinery to increase corporate profits."

"At a time when the world recognises that increased working hours negatively impact productivity, this proposal is out of touch. Many countries are enacting laws to acknowledge the right to disconnect as a basic employee right," it stated.

"KITU) urges the government to reconsider and warns that proceeding with the amendment will challenge the 20 lakh IT/ITeS employees in Karnataka. KITU calls on all sector employees to unite and resist this inhuman attempt," it added.

At a stakeholder meeting with the state labor and IT-BT departments, KITU highlighted studies on the health impacts of extended working hours on IT employees. "According to a report by the Knowledge Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), 45% of employees in the IT sector face mental health issues such as depression, and 55% experience physical health impacts. Increasing working hours will further exacerbate this situation. A WHO-ILO study indicates that increased working hours lead to an estimated 35% higher risk of death by stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease," the statement added.

Also, read: Karnataka IT employees' union opposes government's decision to extend exemption from labour laws for tech firms