Karnataka minister opposes proposal to extend daily work hours to 10

Amid discussions on a Central government proposal to increase daily work hours from nine to ten, Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad has expressed reservations, stating the move “doesn’t look good” in its current form.

Speaking to the media, Lad clarified that while the proposal has come from the Centre and suggests a 10-hour workday with a 48-hour weekly cap, he is not inclined to support it without wide consultation.

“To me, right now it doesn’t look good, as people are already working for nine hours,” he said, adding, “I will call every stakeholder, unions, and talk to them and take their opinions.”

He stressed that worker welfare will remain paramount, and no decision will be taken without discussions with labour unions and industry stakeholders.

While the proposal aims to allow greater flexibility in work schedules within the existing weekly limit, critics argue that a 10-hour workday could strain the workforce, especially in labour-intensive sectors.

The state government’s stand is likely to weigh heavily in the ongoing national debate on labour reforms and working conditions.

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The Karnataka government’s proposal to raise work hours for private firms to 12 hours daily faces strong opposition from employees, including the Information Technology/Information Technology Enabled Services (IT/ITeS) workers’ association.

A meeting was held by the state’s Labour Department with industry and trade union leaders regarding a proposed 12-hour workday amendment to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act.

The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) strongly opposed the proposal, calling it "modern-day slavery." KITU leaders Suhas Adiga and Lenil Babu, who attended the meeting, asked all workers to come together against the change, warning it could badly affect work-life balance and job security.

The KITU highlighted that current laws allow a maximum of 10 working hours per day, including overtime. They said the proposed change would legalise 12-hour shifts and a two-shift system, which could cause the loss of one-third of existing jobs.