Hundreds of IT employees in Bengaluru gathered outside the Karnataka Labour Commissioner’s office on March 16, chanting slogans like ‘Inquilab zindabad’ and ‘workers unity long live’. Organized by the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU), the protest aimed to highlight the alleged anti-worker practices prevalent in the IT and ITeS sector in the state.
Demand for Implementation of Labour Laws
One of the key demands of the protest was to extend the implementation of the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 to the IT/ITeS sector. This Act outlines regulations regarding employee recruitment, working hours, leave procedures, and termination protocols. The exemption of IT employees from this Act has led to concerns about arbitrary terminations, long working hours without extra pay, and instances of sexual harassment at the workplace, as reported by IT employees from various companies in Bengaluru.
The exemption granted to the IT sector from the IE(SO) Act is set to expire on May 25, 2024. If not renewed, the IT sector will fall under the jurisdiction of the state’s labour department, allowing for oversight of alleged workers’ rights violations. The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union urged the government not to renew the exemption, citing non-compliance by employers with conditions such as setting up internal committees for addressing sexual harassment complaints and establishing grievance redressal mechanisms.
Labour Commissioner HN Gopalakrishna IAS assured the protesters that he would consult with stakeholders and address their concerns. This protest comes in the wake of discussions within the Karnataka government about bringing the IT sector under the purview of the state labour department, with Labour Minister Santosh Lad emphasizing the need to revisit the exemption in light of reported unfair terminations and challenges faced by affected employees in finding new jobs.
