Bengaluru: IT employees' union demands right to disconnect, enforcement of work-hour limits

Expressing disappointment over the turnout, KITU advisor Vasanthraj said that, given Bengaluru's status as a tech hub, at least 6,000 people should have participated to make their collective voice heard.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees' Union (KITU) held a mass gathering at Freedom Park on Sunday, demanding the right to disconnect.

The union also called for the enforcement of daily working hour limits, the removal of the IT sector’s exemption from the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, and strict action against labour law violations.

The gathering’s slogan was "A healthy work-life balance is every employee's right".

The right to disconnect allows workers to refrain from responding to work-related calls or messages after work hours. Countries like Australia, France, and Spain have already enacted laws recognising this right.

"If you choose not to respond to a work-related message, you might get sidelined or assigned extra work. The consequence of not responding is falling out of favour with seniors," said Rithvik, a KITU member and IT worker.

Rithvik further explained that after the Covid-19 pandemic, the lines between workplace and personal space became increasingly blurred due to remote work. "Bosses now expect you to answer calls at home, which wasn’t as common before the pandemic," he said.

Another KITU member, Akash, said while implementing the law is crucial, real enforcement can only happen when workers unite to demand their rights. "This gathering is a step towards that," he added.

KITU General Secretary Suhas Adiga condemned the toxic work culture prevalent in the IT sector.

The protestors held placards with photographs of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Managing Director of Larsen & Toubro SN Subrahmanyan as a reply to their statements on how workers need to work for longer hours per week.