The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has announced that its struggle against the state government’s proposal to increase the working hours of technology and allied services workers to 12 hours has won a major victory. KITU’s general secretary, Suhas Adiga, claimed that the organisation has managed to force the state to withdraw the controversial proposal to increase working hours for the IT/ITeS sector.
“In a significant victory for the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) and IT sector employees, the Karnataka Government has been forced to withdraw its proposal to increase working hours in the IT/ITeS sector,” Mr Adiga said on Tuesday, July 30th.
He informed that KITU, the only registered union representing technology workers in Karnataka, has been leading sustained struggles and campaigns, with massive participation from employees across Bengaluru, against the state’s attempt to increase working hours for the IT/ITeS sector.
According to Mr Adiga, the proposed “Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2025”, which sought to amend the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, to increase the working hours, was presented during a stakeholder meeting convened by the Labour Department on June 18th.
At that meeting, the KITU representatives strongly opposed the amendment, asserting that it was a direct attack on a worker’s fundamental right to a personal life.
“KITU firmly warned the government that the union would not allow such a bill to be implemented under any circumstances,” Mr Adiga said.
“Over the past one and a half months, KITU has organised widespread protests and continuous campaigns against the proposed bill —in IT parks, on the streets, and in front of IT companies— drawing massive participation from employees,” Mr Adiga highlighted.
He claimed that their continuous movements compelled the Indian National Congress-led state government to retreat.
“This relentless struggle compelled the Karnataka Government to retreat from its attempt to extend working hours in the sector. In a meeting with KITU office bearers, Additional Labour Commissioner G Manjunath communicated the decision to scrap the proposed amendment,” the KITU leader informed
“KITU congratulates all IT/ITeS employees who stood united with the union in resisting the government’s attempt to curtail hard-won labour rights. The union also extends its sincere gratitude to all organisations, central trade unions, and individuals who supported our struggle to defend the dignity and rights of the working class,” the left-wing union said in a statement.
Earlier, the KITU had strongly objected to the decision of the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to lay off over 12,000 workers, mostly from senior and medium ranks. The KITU has called the decision, which the TCS CEO K Krithivasan has linked to skill mismatch, an “illegal” action and demanded the government’s intervention to prevent a catastrophe. The KITU has also called upon the TCS employees not to panic and to refuse to resign under pressure.
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