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In a move that could significantly affect Karnataka's working population, especially its large IT and service sector workforce, the state government has proposed amendments to existing labour laws by raising the cap on daily working hours and drastically expanding the overtime limits.
The amendments were met with fierce opposition from the labour unions at a meeting of stakeholders held in Bengaluru on Wednesday, June 18, and chaired by the Labour Commissioner HN Gopalakrishna.
According to proposed changes to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, the government plans to extend the legal maximum working hours from 9 to 10 hours per day. It proposes to raise the maximum overtime per day from 1 hour to 2 hours, effectively legalising a 12-hour workday.
The amendment also seeks to increase the cap on overtime from 50 hours to 144 hours in a three month period and exclude establishments with fewer than 10 employees from the Act’s protections.
Defending the proposed changes, the state government said the move is part of a broader national push. “The Union government has directed states to amend working hours limits,” noted a statement by the Labour Department, adding that states such as Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have already introduced similar amendments.
But the reaction from labour unions has been swift and scathing.
Speaking to TNM, Suhas Adiga, general secretary of the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU), called the proposal an “inhuman attempt to impose modern-day slavery.”
“KITU strongly opposes this amendment, which is an attack on the basic right of any worker to have a personal life,” Adiga said. “It attempts to normalise a 12-hour workday under the guise of progress when, in fact, it strips away protections that have existed for decades.”
Various industry stakeholders were present at the meeting, along with KITU leadership, including Adiga, president VJK Nair, and secretary Lenil Babu.
During the meeting, KITU raised serious concerns about the human cost of such an amendment. “This isn’t just about numbers,” Adiga said. “This is about the health, dignity, and well-being of 20 lakh IT/ITeS workers in Karnataka.”
Speaking to TNM, All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) state general secretary Maitreyi Krishnan said that the employee unions of the state are in “complete opposition” to any plans of increasing the working hours. “During the meeting with the Labour Department, representatives of the labour unions have opposed the proposal and even cited the various health issues that longer working hours have on employees,” she said.
Citing data from the State Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024, Adiga noted that 90% of corporate employees under the age of 25 in India are struggling with anxiety. “Deaths and suicides linked to extreme work pressure are becoming disturbingly common in the IT sector,” he added, referencing the recent suicide of a software engineer at OLA’s Artificial Intelligence unit in Bengaluru.
“This amendment will allow companies to switch from a three-shift to a two-shift system, making one-third of the workforce redundant. The government’s hunger to please its corporate masters is coming at the cost of human lives,” Adiga alleged.
Notably, this isn’t the first time the Karnataka government has attempted such a move. In 2024, the state proposed a 14-hour workday for the IT sector, a push that was rolled back after strong resistance from KITU and widespread employee outrage.
KITU warned it will once again mobilise to resist the amendment. “The government must know that this is a direct challenge to every worker in this sector. We call on all IT and BPO employees to unite. This is not just a policy amendment; it is a fight for our right to live,” Adiga said.
The proposed changes also stand in stark contrast to global trends, where countries are increasingly recognising the right to disconnect, reduced working hours, and the mental health crisis plaguing white-collar workforces. “While the world is moving toward shorter workweeks and stronger labour rights, Karnataka is pushing its workers in the opposite direction,” KITU said in a statement.
Prior to the meeting, Labour Minister Santhosh Lad had said that the proposal had come from the Union government and the Labour Ministry’s Secretary had submitted recommendations to the Karnataka Chief Secretary. “These recommendations have now been forwarded to the state government. Should we make it 9 or 10 working hours? We will discuss this with all stakeholders. The government will decide whether the proposal is positive or negative.”
He also said that a decision would be taken only after consulting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.