The Congress government of Karnataka is again in the news. For the second time in a week, the Siddaramaiah government is seen going back on its own decision. The state government has taken a U-turn on the bill stipulating 14 hours of work per day for IT employees. Labor Minister Santosh Lad gave clarification and said, there is pressure from the IT industry regarding making a law on the tech sector people to make them work more hours, but they are evaluating the matter. Minister Lad said that the government is still examining the bill, which will force software professionals to work 14 hours every day.
However, BJP is continuously opposing this bill. BJP says that there is a need to discuss this issue. The government cannot take a unilateral decision in this matter. IT sector employees and trade unions have already opposed the move and termed it inhumane. Due to opposition, the government has not been able to reach any conclusion on this bill. BJP state president BY Vijendra said that our appeal to the Chief Minister is that Bengaluru is a global IT hub. This decision should be taken taking everyone into confidence.
‘Industrialists are pressurizing us…’
Actually, Minister Santosh Lad said that this bill has come to us only due to pressure from the IT industry. IT Minister Priyank Kharge himself has not brought this proposal. Industrialists are pressurizing us to pass the 14-hour working day bill. However, this bill is with us and we (Labour Department) are evaluating it. IT heads and owners of big companies need to discuss this. At present, if this amendment is implemented, it will affect the state capital Bengaluru, which is the IT hub of the country.
Resentment among IT employees…
Santosh Lad further said, now the question is that I want all the industrial heads to discuss this because this issue is in the public domain. People are free to express their opinions. I want all the major stakeholders to debate this. Since the matter has become public, there is dissatisfaction among IT employees. He said, I want people to share their opinions. Based on this, we as a department will definitely look into this issue. The minister said that IT companies, owners and directors should come forward and discuss the issue of work-life balance. Why don’t IT heads talk about this? Whether the feedback is positive or negative, the government will consider what needs to be done.
What was said in the new bill?
The state government is planning to amend the ‘Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961’. The new proposal states that employees working in the IT/ITES/BPO sector will be allowed to work more than 12 hours in a day. Can be done 70 hours per week. However, one cannot be allowed to work more than 125 hours in three consecutive months. Although it is not clearly mentioned in it. But according to Karnataka State IT/ITES Employees Union (KITU), the new amendment bill allows working for 14 hours every day. This will completely change the existing law. Currently, maximum work is allowed for 10 hours per day including overtime.
KITU says that the proposal to amend the law was presented in a meeting called by the Labor Department with various stakeholders of the industry. On the issue of personal and social life of IT employees, he said, IT heads and big companies of the country need to discuss this. They should come forward to discuss these issues. The union representatives met State Labor Minister Santosh Lad, Principal Secretary of Labor Department Mohammad Mohsin and Principal Secretary of IT-BT Department Ekrup Kaur and other officials to register their protest.
Even a week ago, the government came into controversy regarding the bill.
Earlier, the Karnataka government had created controversy when it approved the bill related to reservation in private sector jobs. If this bill becomes law, then private companies doing business in Karnataka will have to give 50% to 100% reservation to Kannada speakers. However, later the government banned this bill. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says that we are a pro-Kannada government and our priority is to take care of the welfare of the Kannada people. The proposed bill prepared by the state labor department claimed that the concerned jobs were being given mainly to people from the northern states. However, after its announcement, outrage and protests spread and the bill was shelved.
Before Karnataka, states like Haryana and Andhra Pradesh had also tried to implement similar reservations for locals in the private sector. The laws could not be implemented in Haryana and Andhra Pradesh due to legal and political challenges.