Karnataka IT Employees Union Protest Against Long Work Hours, Demand Better Work-Life Balance

IT employees in Bengaluru affiliated with the Karnataka IT State IT/ITES Employees Union protested at Freedom Park on Sunday, demanding a better work-life balance and no overtime. This followed recent comments from IT leaders endorsing 70 to 90-hour workweeks.

Protesters burnt posters of Infosys Ltd.'s Co-Founder NR Narayana Murthy and Larsen & Toubro Ltd.'s Chief Executive SN Subrahmanyan, after involving in a scuffle with police officers who were opposing burning of the posters.

Workers chanted slogans - “Narayana Murthy and Subrahmanyan we will burn your greed in the streets, we are workers, not slaves,” and “we will crush the greedy corporates.” 

The employee union says that it is a well-known fact, both within and outside the industry, that the standard eight to nine hour workday is largely a myth. Employees are frequently compelled to work beyond official hours, including weekends, without any additional compensation. The Employees are also expected to be available even after working hours, blurring the line between office work and personal life. This relentless pressure from employers is causing serious physical and mental health problems for workers.

Ram Kumar, Member of KITU said, “When these IT leaders are making statements and are being heard, the point of view of people who work in the companies should also be heard. Working for long hours without making time for other aspects of life like family and health is not sustainable. We have health issues due to long working hours. We like our jobs, we want to keep doing what we do, all we ask is healthy balance.” 

Previously the union KITU has actively sought reforms. On March 13, 2024, a memorandum was submitted to the Labour Minister, alleging that IT/ITES companies are not compensating overtime wages and are extending work hours beyond statutory limits. The union urged the government to investigate actual working hours and overtime payments. But even after one year of multiple meetings and protests, there has been no concrete effort from the Government to regulate the working hours by ensuring the strict implementation of labour laws, it said. 

The IT workers demand for enforcement of daily working hour limits, preventing excessive overtime and burnout. Ending the exemption given to IT sector from Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, strict action against the labour law violations, and implementation of right to disconnect.