The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union stated that the suggestion to adjust working hours was presented at a meeting called by the labor department. In New Delhi: Following a public outcry over a measure requiring private enterprises in Karnataka to reserve positions for Kannadigas, the state government is reportedly preparing to increase IT staff working hours to 14 per day, according to the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) on Saturday.
According to the KITU, the proposal to change the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act to allow for a 14-hour work day was submitted at a conference organized by the labor department with several industry stakeholders.
If implemented, the extended working time — 70 hours a week — will have the biggest impact on Bengaluru, the state capital known as the IT hub of the country. During the meeting, which was also attended by Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh S Lad and the officials from the departments of Labour and Information Technology and Biotechnology, the KITU said it pointed out the studies on the health impact of extended working hours among the IT employees.
“As per the report of KCCI, 45% of employees in the IT sector are facing mental health issues such as depression, and 55% facing physical health impacts. Increasing working hours will further aggravate this situation. WHO-ILO study says increased working hours will lead to an estimated 35% higher risk of death by stroke and 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease,” it said.
“This amendment comes in a period when the world starts to accept the fact that increased working hours are negatively impacting productivity and more countries are coming with new legislations to accept the right to disconnect as a basic right of any employee,” the Union said.The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union urged the government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaih to “rethink” the idea, warning that any attempt to implement the modification would be a “open challenge” to Karnataka’s 20 lakh IT/ITeS employees. The Union also urged all IT sector employees to get together and reject this “inhuman attempt to impose slavery on us”.
Earlier this year, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy provoked a heated debate by claiming that India’s work culture needed to change and that young people should be prepared to work 70 hours per week. His IT company, with headquarters in Bengaluru, has a market capitalization of ₹ 7,44,396.43 crore.
Karnataka’s Bill for Reservation in Private Sector Firms
The Karnataka government sparked uproar earlier this week when it approved a measure requiring private sector enterprises in the state to prioritize local recruitment for 70% of non-management roles and 50% of management-level positions. The proposed bill, drafted by the state’s Labour Department, claimed that the positions in question were primarily offered to immigrants from northern states settling in Karnataka.
It advocated that Karnataka-based businesses that benefit from state-provided infrastructure provide jobs for locals. However, the bill was put on hold when the news sparked outcry.Â
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