Amid a huge uproar over a bill that directed private firms in Karnataka to reserve jobs for Kannadigas, the state government is now planning to raise the IT staff's working hours to 14 per day, the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) said on Saturday.
What Is The Proposed Law?
According to the 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.
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. The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government has so far not said anything on the issue.
Biggest Ever Attack On The Working Class
“The proposed new bill 'Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2024' attempts to normalize a 14-hour work day. It will facilitate the IT/ITES companies to extend the daily hours of work indefinitely," the Union said in a statement.
This amendment, the KITU said was the "biggest ever attack on the working class in this era", and will allow the companies to go for a two-shift system instead of the currently existing three-shift system and one-third of the workforce will be thrown out from their employment.
If Implemented, What Could This Lead To?
As per the reports, 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.
The Union Has Urged The CM To Rethink
The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union urged the Chief Minister Siddaramaih-led government to "rethink" the proposal and warned that any attempt to go with the amendment will be an "open challenge" to the 20 lakh employees working in the IT/ITeS sector in Karnataka. The Union also called upon all the IT sector employees to unify and come forward to resist this "inhuman attempt to impose slavery on us".
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