14 Work Hours A Day: Karnataka New Work Proposal For Techies

IT firms in Karnataka submitted a proposal to the state government demanding an extension of employee working hours to 14 hours, sources said. The move has met with severe opposition from employees, who called it inhuman, citing health issues and layoff concerns. While chief minister Siddaramaiah and his government have yet to comment on the issue.

According to the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU), the proposal to amend the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act to facilitate a 14-hour working day was presented in a meeting called by the labour department with various stakeholders in the industry. The IT companies want their proposal to be included in the amendment, which would legally extend work hours to 14 hours (12 hours + 2 hours of overtime). 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.

According to the present labour laws, 9 hours is the permitted working hour duration, while an additional hour is allowed as overtime.

The new proposal by the IT sector says, "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 government has held an initial meeting on this matter and further decisions will be taken soon, sources added. The proposal is likely to be discussed by the Cabinet.