Karnataka: IT/ITes employees slams government’s proposal to extend work hours to 12 a day

The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has strongly opposed the state government's fresh attempt to amend the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act to allow a 12-hour workday for employees in the IT, ITeS, and BPO sectors.

Also Read: ‘One third of the workforce will be thrown out from their employment,’ ; KITU opposes amendment to Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act 

At a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Labour Department on June 18, KITU representatives — including General Secretary Suhas Adiga, President VJK, and Secretary Lenil Babu — registered their protest against the proposed amendment. Currently, the Act permits a maximum of 10 working hours per day including overtime. The amendment, KITU warned, would push a two-shift system and result in mass layoffs, with nearly one-third of the workforce likely to lose jobs.

Citing mental health concerns, KITU pointed to alarming statistics, including a 2024 report stating 90% of corporate employees under 25 suffer from anxiety. The recent suicide of a software engineer at OLA’s AI unit in Bengaluru was also mentioned as a tragic reminder of work pressure in the industry.

“This is not reform, it’s regression,” said KITU, accusing the state of prioritizing corporate profits over worker welfare. The union warned that any move to implement the amendment would be met with strong resistance from Karnataka’s 20 lakh IT/ITeS employees, and called upon the working class to unite against what they termed “modern-day slavery.”