IT employees’ union plans campaign in Karnataka against 14-hour workday while Labour Minister claims proposal came from companies

IT employees’ union mobilises for pushback against 14-hour workday. The union has been sharing its membership application form on social media platforms to mobilise more people to join the cause. Labour Minister Santosh Lad claims that the proposal came from IT companies

The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees’ Union (KITU) is planning massive campaigns and large-scale mobilisation against the controversial proposal to increase the work hours of IT employees to 14 hours.

While gate meetings at IT parks and street campaigns are being planned throughout the week, the union is also planning to organise a procession to the Labour Commissioner’s office on August 3. 

“We are planning campaigns at 32 units. On August 3, we will organise a massive procession in which a large number of IT employees would march to the office of the Labour Commissioner,” said Sooraj Nidiyanga, secretary, KITU.

The union has been sharing its membership application form on social media platforms to mobilise more people to join the cause.

Meanwhile, during an interaction with mediapersons, Labour Minister Santosh Lad said that the proposal to increase work hours came from the IT companies, and was not initiated by the government of Karnataka. 

“It’s not the Minister who came up with this proposal. The industries are pressurising us. The Labour Department is evaluating the proposal,” he said. 

Citing the dissent among IT employees regarding the proposal, the Minister suggested that industry heads discuss and debate it publicly. “The IT heads, the so-called big people in India, must discuss and tell us what they think about this. For everything (else) they come out (and talk),” he said in what seemed like a snub to the industry leaders who have been strongly opposing a Bill proposed by the government to give representation to locals in the private sector.