India: 14-hour workday for employees in Karnataka? State government considering proposal

IT companies in the southern Indian state of Karnataka have put forth a proposal in front of the state government to extend the working hours of employees to 14 hours a day. As perKarnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU), the proposal to amend the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act and extend working hours was presented at a meeting called by the labour department.

If implemented, the employees, already struggling to maintain work-life balance, will have to slog 70 hours a week. Current labour laws stipulate nine hours as the permitted working day duration while an additional hour is allowed as overtime.

"Employees 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 new proposal states.

The state government has held an initial meeting on the proposal which is likely to be discussed by the Cabinet further.

KITU has expressed vehement opposition against the proposal saying it will exacerbate the existing health issues in the overworked IT employees.

"As per the report of KCCI [trade body], 45 per cent of employees in the IT sector are facing mental health issues such as depression, and 55 per cent facing physical health impacts. Increasing working hours will further aggravate this situation," a statement by the union said, as accessed by the publication.

"This amendment shows that the government of Karnataka is not ready to consider workers as human beings who need personal and social life to survive. Instead, it considers them as only a machinery to increase the profit of the corporates whom it serves,” it added.

Private job quota bill put on hold

The rather inexplicable proposal comes days after the Congress government was forced to put on hold a bill that mandated reservation for locals in private jobs.

The bill capped reservations at 70 per cent for non-management roles and 50 per cent for management-level positions for Kannadigas.

After major backlash from all quarters, the Karnataka government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said it would take a 'relook' at the bill.

The Congress government in the state has also planned to hike bus fares after its free-ride scheme for women led to millions in losses for the KarnatakaState Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).

(With inputs from agencies)