After facing hurdles with the Karnataka government’s proposal for 100 percent reservation for local Kannadigas in the industrial sector, the IT industry is now at the center of a new controversy. This time, the issue revolves around working hours for IT employees.
Karnataka IT firms have submitted a proposal to the state government, seeking to extend working hours from 12 to 14 hours daily. The proposal aims to align IT sector working hours with the revised Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, which allows for 12 hours of regular work time plus 2 hours of overtime.
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If approved, employees would be required to work 125 hours over three consecutive months. The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has strongly opposed this move, expressing concerns about a potential shift from a three-shift system to a two-shift system. Critics argue that this change could lead to job losses.
The proposal comes on the heels of the controversial job reservation policy, which was recently put on hold. This new attempt to adjust working hours has drawn criticism from various intellectuals and worker advocates, who have voiced their opposition loudly.
As the debate unfolds, both IT firms and employees’ representatives are gearing up for what could be a prolonged battle over work-life balance and labor rights in Karnataka’s crucial IT sector.
-Sanyogita
