Karnataka’s labour department is proposing an amendment in the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act so that employees of information technology (IT) companies and information technology enabled services (ITeS) companies in Karnataka can work for 14 hours a day.
According to the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union, the proposal was mooted in a recent meeting. That means, if the suggestion is implemented and 14 hours of work per day becomes normal, employees in the IT/ITeS space may end up working 70 hours a week. This doesn’t augur well for Bengaluru, which is India’s hub of IT.
Presently, the Act permits ten hours of work a day, which includes overtime. The Union is naturally wary that IT companies may opt for two shifts a day instead of the presently prevailing three-shift system. A significant portion of the workforce may end up jobless.
The amendment clearly ignores the growing cases of mental health issues amongst employees. Health of workers is already being impacted, and the Act, if amended will only add to their health woes.
Also, the timing of this proposal is all wrong. Globally, countries are experimenting with the four-day work week as organisations are increasingly realising the benefits of reduced work hours. Many employers have admitted that reduced work hours has given a boost to productivity, and resulted in a happier and more engaged workforce.
