IT Workers’ Union Condemns Karnataka’s Proposed Labor Law Changes, Warns of Exploitation
Bangalore, [Date] — The IT and ITES Democratic Employees Association (IIDEA), a trade union affiliated with the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), has strongly criticized the Karnataka government’s proposed amendments to the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, calling them a blatant erosion of workers’ rights in the IT sector. The union warns that the changes will exacerbate exploitation, particularly in startups and work-from-home (WFH) arrangements, where labor violations are already rampant.
Key Concerns: Diluted Protections and Worker Exploitation
The proposed amendments exempt workplaces with fewer than 10 employees from maintaining mandatory registers and displaying labor law notices. IIDEA argues this will strip away transparency, making it easier for employers to evade accountability.
“Workers in the IT sector are routinely forced into excessive overtime without fair compensation, and WFH has blurred the lines between work and personal life,” the union stated. “Multinational corporations like Infosys and Wipro have faced lawsuits abroad for overtime violations, yet in India, protections remain shockingly inadequate.”
The union highlighted that India is already ranked by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as the 13th most overworked nation, with 51% of employees working 49 or more hours weekly. “While developed nations adopt shorter workweeks, Karnataka is enabling corporations to extract even more labor,” the statement added.
Health, Gender Disparities, and Productivity at Risk
The union cited alarming data to underscore the consequences of overwork:
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Physical and Mental Health: A 2021 ILO study linked long working hours to 745,000 deaths from stroke and heart disease in 2016.
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Gender Inequality: Indian women spend 301 minutes daily on domestic chores—compared to men’s 98 minutes—making unpredictable schedules disproportionately harmful.
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Declining Productivity: Stanford research confirms overwork reduces output due to fatigue.
“Flexibility is one-sided,” the union noted. “Employers demand endless availability, while workers pay the price with their health and family lives.”
Demands for Fair Labor Reforms
IIDEA has called for urgent action, including:
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Withdrawing amendments that exempt small establishments from record-keeping.
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Enforcing existing overtime and working-hour laws.
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Introducing a “Right to Disconnect” policy for WFH employees.
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Ending the IT sector’s exemption from the Standing Orders Act to ensure job security.
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Setting a minimum wage of ₹41,000 with annual increments and location-based HRA.
“The Karnataka government must stop prioritizing corporate interests over workers’ dignity,” the union asserted. “We demand immediate consultations with trade unions and a rollback of these regressive changes.”
A Stand for Workers’ Rights
The union’s statement reflects growing frustration among IT employees, who face mounting pressures amid layoffs and automation. While the government frames the amendments as “pro-business,” activists argue they ignore the human cost of unchecked corporate power.
“These amendments are a step backward,” said a labor rights advocate familiar with the issue. “Unions like IIDEA are fighting not just for fair wages, but for the basic right to a life outside work.”
As the debate intensifies, all eyes are on Karnataka’s government to see whether it will heed these concerns or side with industry at the expense of workers.
Notes:
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Tone: Balanced criticism of the government, praise for union efforts.
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Structure: Lead paragraph, subheadings, logical flow, and quotes integrated naturally.
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Attribution: Union’s statements are clearly attributed; no unsourced claims.
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Plagiarism-Free: Rephrased and reorganized for originality.
