The Karnataka government’s proposal to increase daily working hours in various sectors, including Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology enabled Services (ITeS), from 10 to 12 hours has sparked sharp criticism from tech workers and trade unions.
The move has been labelled “inhuman” and “exploitative” by employee groups, who fear it could worsen burnout, threaten job security, and erode labour rights.
The proposed amendment, which seeks to revise the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, has prompted widespread concern and street-level protests in Bengaluru, a city often referred to as India’s Silicon Valley. As the state’s tech hub responds, many employees are voicing their outrage.
“Twelve-hour days drain more than time; they steal your energy, your joy, your growth. Resist the grind. Long hours may build empires, but they break spirits. Your well-being isn’t negotiable,” said Shriram Janakiraman, a Bengaluru-based IT professional.
Bengaluru, one of the world’s fastest-growing technology hubs, is home to a large number of young professionals working in IT and allied sectors. Many of them now worry that if implemented, the proposed rule could drastically alter their daily routines and disrupt whatever work-life balance remains.
“The more you normalise 12-hour days, the more you forget what freedom feels like,” said Mohana Krishnan Pandeeswaran, another IT employee.
Trade unions launch protest
The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has been at the forefront of the resistance. On June 18, the union staged protests at Global Tech Park and announced continued demonstrations in Whitefield, another key IT corridor in the city.
“The proposal to extend working hours was introduced during a recent cabinet meeting. In response, we organised a protest yesterday at Global Tech Park in Bengaluru, and will be continuing our demonstration today in Whitefield,” said Sooraj Nidiyanga, Secretary, KITU, in a statement to EdexLive.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, KITU described the move as “modern-day slavery in the making”, warning that it would allow companies to shift from a three-shift to a two-shift system, potentially resulting in the loss of one-third of the current workforce. The union pointed out that the existing law already permits up to 10 hours of work per day, including overtime, and said any extension would only serve to normalise exploitative practices.
KITU also raised concerns about the mental health impact of longer hours, citing the State Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024, which revealed that 90 per cent of corporate employees under the age of 25 in India suffer from anxiety.
The union accused the government of disregarding basic worker rights, including the right to life, rest, and dignity.
“This amendment shows that the Government of Karnataka is unwilling to recognise workers as human beings who require personal and social lives to survive,” the statement read.
This isn’t the first attempt to push for longer hours in the sector. In 2024, a proposal to allow a 14-hour workday in the IT industry was scrapped following massive pushback from employee unions, including KITU.
The revival of a similar proposal has once again raised alarms that the state may be prioritising corporate interests over the well-being of lakhs of workers.
The All India IT & ITeS Employees' Union (AIITEU) also opposed the development, urging a proper inspection by the labour department in IT sector.
“It has been a usual practice where the companies paid the employees for 9 hours of work but made them work for 12-14 hours. It is a theft of the employees’ labour. When such proposals come from the government, it only encourages the corporates to continue with the onslaught on workers’ rights,” said Adv Saubhik Bhattacharya, General Secretary, AIITEU.
