Trending
“We Are Not Your Slaves!”—Hundreds of IT Workers Protest in Bengaluru for Work-Life Balance
While the nation was glued to the high-stakes cricket final between India and New Zealand, hundreds of IT professionals took to Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on March 9, braving the scorching heat to demand their right to a healthy work-life balance. The demonstration, organized by the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees’ Union (KITU), sent a powerful message against exploitative work culture in the tech industry.
With red flags waving and placards declaring, “We are not your slaves” and “Work-life balance is a right, not a privilege,” protestors called for legal safeguards against after-hours work demands. This movement aligns with global precedents, as countries like Australia, France, and Spain have already recognized employees’ ‘right to disconnect.’
Calls for Reform in the IT Industry
The demonstrators raised pressing concerns, demanding stricter enforcement of daily working hour limits and the removal of IT sector exemptions from the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act. They also urged authorities to address widespread labor law violations that leave workers vulnerable to exploitation.
Exclusive Fraud Risk Management Bootcamp for BFSI Professionals in Lucknow on March 24 – Register Now!
Aswin, an IT worker and KITU member, shed light on the silent pressures employees face beyond official working hours.
“Logging off doesn’t mean work ends. There’s an unspoken expectation to be available 24/7. Ignoring late-night messages can make you seem uncooperative, impacting career growth. This constant stress eats away at our mental health and personal lives,” he explained.
Ram, another union member, emphasized that legal frameworks alone won’t be effective without collective worker action.
“Even the best laws mean nothing if employees don’t unite to demand their enforcement,” he stated.
A Struggle That Hits Women Harder
KITU Vice-President Rashmi Choudhary highlighted the disproportionate burden placed on women in the industry, many of whom are forced to quit due to unsustainable work expectations.
“We already slog 14-16 hours a day at work and then come home to unpaid labor. When corporate leaders push for 70-hour workweeks, they’re trying to normalize exploitation. If the government doesn’t step in, this will become the standard,” she warned. Her statement referenced recent controversial remarks by Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and L&T CEO SN Subrahmanyan, both of whom advocated for longer work hours to boost productivity.
Symbolic Protest Sparks Clash with Police
In a dramatic act of resistance, protestors attempted to burn effigies of Murthy and Subrahmanyan, symbolizing their frustration with corporate expectations. However, the Bengaluru police intervened, leading to a brief standoff. Following intense sloganeering and heated discussions, the union managed to convince the authorities that the demonstration was within their democratic rights.
KITU General Secretary Suhas Adiga denounced the toxic work culture pervading the IT industry and called for urgent government intervention.
With tech workers now taking a stand, the battle for a fair work-life balance in India’s IT sector has well and truly begun.