‘It's IT heads’ pitch to…': Karnataka labour minister on 14-hour work day proposal after employee union's concern

Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees’ Union (KITU) has expressed concerns about Karnataka government's 14-hour work day proposal and called it an ‘attack on basic rights of a worker.’ The union said that it will also lead to massive unemployment and increase in work hours of workers will deduct the number of shifts in organisations.

Also Read - Bengaluru IT industry seeks 14-hour workdays; Employee union objects: Report

In a statement, the KITU said, “The new proposal is nothing but an attack on the fundamental rights of a worker, and it will take away his/her personal time. The Karnataka government, in its hunger to please its corporate bosses, completely neglects the most fundamental right of any individual, the right to live."

Also Read - Microsoft techie in Bengaluru drives autorickshaw on weekends, to combat loneliness. ‘That’s sad,' says internet

Here's what the minister said

The union members even met Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad on this issue. However, Santosh Lad clarified that it was the idea of corporate heads to extend the working hours and said that another round of discussion would be held regarding the matter.

“It is not the Karnataka government's proposal to increase the number of working hours. The heads of corporate companies and top IT companies approached us to make this amendment to existing labour laws. Since it has sparked a debate everywhere, the corporate heads and employees must internally discuss this, and the government will go according to the people’s interests,” said Santosh Lad to reporters on Monday.

The KITU further called all employee unions to come forward and protest against such rules, calling them inhumane. "KITU calls upon all the IT/ITeS sector employees to unify and come forward to resist this inhuman attempt to impose slavery on us. The amendment (if done) is an attack on 20 lakh employees working in Karnataka’s IT industry,” it added.

The proposed 'Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2024' will mandate a 14-hour work day, replacing an existing act that only allows a maximum of 10 hours of work per day, including overtime.