Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
Hundreds of IT and ITeS employees gathered at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on 10 March 2025 to demand implementation of labour laws in IT sector. They demanded their rights as workers to be protected. IT and ITeS employers must ensure better work environment and work-life balance, was one of their key demands.
The protest was organized by the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees’ Union (KITU). Employees raised their voice against their severe exploitation, long working hours, unrealistic work targets and grave job insecurity.
The protesting employees pointed out that while the IT sector in India is one of the sectors that makes the highest profits for the capitalist owners, many IT professionals are forced to work 12-14 hours a day without any overtime, including on weekends. They face terrible job insecurity due to mass layoffs, euphemistically referred to as “performance-based terminations”. As a result, both physical and mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, are on the rise amongst them. As many as 70% IT professional suffer from mental health problems, as per a study.
Women IT employees are worse off as they also have to face rampant gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
The protesting employees demanded inclusion of IT workers under labour laws to safeguard job security and strict implementation of the labour laws of 8 hour workday. Like other workers, they want to be paid overtime and must have the right to refuse communication with the company after working hours, without the threat of punitive action.
They expressed their anger by burning effigies of capitalists who are advocating 70 hours and 90 hours working week. Protesters chanted slogans such as “Narayana Murthy and Subrahmanyan, we will burn your greed on the streets; we are workers, not slaves!”
Nearly one year back on 13 March 2024, the KITU had submitted a memorandum to the Labour Minister of Karnataka, explaining how IT/ITeS companies routinely violate labour laws by arbitrarily extending working hours without overtime compensation. However, the state government took no steps to regulate their working hours or ensure protection against arbitrary layoffs.
