Karnataka Labour Minister opposes 10-Hour workday proposal
Karnataka's Labour Minister, Santosh Lad, isn't on board with a proposal to bump up the workday from nine to 10 hours.
He clarified this wasn't the state's idea but a central government directive, saying, "To me, right now it doesn't look good, as people are already working for nine hours. Prima facie, I am not for it."
Amendment to increase daily shifts
The proposed amendment would let shops and commercial establishments in Karnataka increase daily shifts from nine to 10 hours (including a one-hour break), and raise quarterly overtime limits from 50 to 144 hours.
The weekly cap stays at 48 hours.
Move follows central rules
Officials say this move just follows central rules and matches what other states are doing.
But unions and private sector workers—especially in IT—aren't convinced.
They're worried about burnout and possible job cuts if companies reduce shifts from three to two.
Minister promises everyone will get a say
Minister Lad has promised that everyone—including unions—will get a say before anything is finalized.
For now, the proposal is still being debated as resistance continues across different sectors.