The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has called for a mass gathering of IT sector employees demanding stricter enforcement of labor laws and a healthy work-life balance.

The protesting workers, brandishing red flags and placards with slogans like 'We are not your slaves' and 'A healthy work-life balance is every employee's right,' called for legal protection against demands for work after hours, a problem that has already been recognized by the law in nations like Australia, France, and Spain.

The union also called for action against widespread labor law infractions in the IT sector, the removal of the industry's exemption from the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, and stringent enforcement of daily working hour limitations.

Aswin, an IT worker and KITU member, brought attention to the unofficial pressures workers feel when they decide not to answer calls or texts about their jobs after hours.

“Work doesn’t end when we log off—there’s always an expectation to be available. If you don’t respond to messages after hours, you risk being seen as uncooperative or less committed. This constant pressure takes a toll on our mental health and personal lives,” Aswin says.

Ram, another union member, emphasized the value of collective worker action, pointing out that legal actions by themselves would not be enough.

“If employees do not unite, even the best laws will remain unenforced,” says Ram.

KITU Vice-President Rashmi Choudhary pointed out that the culture of long working hours disproportionately affects women in the IT industry, many of whom are forced to leave their jobs due to unsustainable work-life expectations.

"We already work 14-16 hours a day, and then return home to unpaid labour. When corporate leaders advocate for 70-hour workweeks, it's a clear signal of what they intend to normalise. If the government doesn't intervene, this will become our reality," Rashmi says.