IT union slams Karnataka’s ‘exploitative’ labour law changes 

The IT and ITES Democratic Employees Association (IIDEA), a trade union affiliated with the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), has come out strongly against the Karnataka government’s proposed amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, alleging that the changes threaten to further erode workers’ rights in the IT and ITeS sectors.

In a detailed statement, IIDEA said that despite the presence of existing labour laws mandating regulated working hours and compensation for overtime, IT workers across the state continue to face severe exploitation. Employees are often made to work excessive hours without receiving legally mandated double wages. The problem is said to be especially acute in work-from-home setups, where workers are left without any enforceable “Right to Disconnect” and are expected to be on-call round the clock.

The union pointed out that multinational corporations like Infosys and Wipro have faced lawsuits in the United States over similar overtime violations, while in India, enforcement remains toothless. “India is already among the most overworked countries globally,” the statement noted, citing ILO data that 51% of the Indian workforce works more than 49 hours per week.

A major concern raised by the union is that the amendment proposes to exempt establishments with fewer than 10 employees from maintaining statutory records or displaying mandatory notices. “This will hit small IT startups the hardest, where labour violations are already rampant,” IIDEA warned.

The association further argued that the government’s narrative around “flexibility” is misleading. They highlighted a rising mental and physical health crisis linked to long hours, pointing to ILO data from 2021 showing 745,000 deaths due to overwork-related illnesses globally. “The amendment encourages overwork even when automation and AI are causing widespread layoffs,” the statement read.

The union also flagged gendered impacts of long and unpredictable hours, citing studies showing Indian women carry a disproportionate burden of domestic responsibilities—making flexible but undefined work hours more punishing for them.

IIDEA has called on the Karnataka government to

• Immediately withdraw the proposed amendments;
• Enforce overtime wage laws;
• Implement a “Right to Disconnect” for remote workers;
• End IT/ITeS exemptions from the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act;
• Guarantee fair wages starting at ₹41,000 per month, with annual increments and housing allowances.

The union has demanded urgent consultations with labour representatives, asserting that the government must prioritise worker dignity, health, and rights over corporate convenience.