14-hour workday for IT employees? What's behind the Karnataka government's proposal and how the public is reacting

While debates rage about optimal work hours¡ªwith figures like Narayan Murthy advocating for a 70-hour work week and others pushing for a four-day work week¡ªthe Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) revealed a new development on Saturday. The state government is planning to raise IT staff's working hours to 14 per day.

In a bold move that has sparked controversy, the Karnataka state government is planning to amend the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act to allow for a 14-hour workday for IT employees.

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The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) revealed that this proposal, presented during a labour department meeting with industry stakeholders, would drastically change the existing law.

Presently, labour laws permit up to 12 hours of work per day, combining regular and overtime hours.

Representational image/ Pexels

The proposed "Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2024" aims to normalise extended work hours, potentially enabling IT/ITES companies to increase daily working hours without limit.

This change could significantly impact Bengaluru, India's premier IT hub.

KITU has vehemently opposed the amendment, fearing it could lead to the elimination of the current three-shift system as the number of working shifts will be reduced, thereby risking job losses for one-third of the workforce.

This contentious proposal comes at a time when Karnataka is already under scrutiny for its move to introduce a bill mandating job reservations for the local Kannadiga population in private firms.

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Public weighs in: Reactions to the 14-hour workday proposal

In a post on X addressing the contentious 14-hour workday issue, people voiced a wide range of opinions in the comments.

One user commented, "Labour laws are the crux of any well-functioning society. Fourteen hours of work a day will lead to unexplained tiredness among the labour force. Instead, the government should focus on increasing female labour force participation and creating more jobs."

Another remarked, "If they have more work to be done, they need to hire more workforce. Humans have a limit to the amount of pressure they can take. Doesn't get simpler than that."

A third pointed out, "And then they ask why IT people are depressed."

Yet another wrote, "I don't know what they are talking about¡ªwe already work 16 hours: 8 hours at work and 8 hours in traffic."

What's your opinion on this?

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