During the Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha on Friday, December 6, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale raised a pressing concern about the toxic work culture prevalent in private sector companies. Citing the recent deaths of EY employee Anna Sebastian and senior journalist Satish Nandgaonkar, he said that there is an immediate need for labour reforms to protect employee well-being.
Referring to the tragic death of Anna Sebastian, whose mother claimed she was forced to overwork, and the cardiac arrest suffered by Mumbai journalist Satish Nadgaonkar in February due to alleged workplace stress, Gokhale said that there is a rising groundswell of complaints on social media about toxic work environments. He pointed out that employees often endure long hours, face insults, and lack adequate financial protection.
“Bengal means business; we have over 4.5 lakh active companies, and the IT sector alone employs more than 2.6 lakh people. Reform in the private sector is crucial," he said and added that while corporate taxes have been reduced, private sector employees, who are the key income tax contributors, are facing increasing challenges.
He also pointed out that there is an absence of overtime pay provisions in Indian labour contracts. “There is no overtime pay provision in contracts in India. Employees are made to work 8 to 10 or even 12 hours. Many employees work in client-facing roles, where they are subject to the whims of clients. There is a need for labour laws to regulate this,” he said.
He also drew attention to the financial struggles of workers in West Bengal, criticising the stalled funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
“This toxic work culture and the deprivation of people are issues that this House needs to take seriously. The govt needs to take seriously People who are employed need a healthy work culture, and those who work deserve to be paid, be it the private sector or MGNREGA workers in West Bengal,” he said.