The Telugu Desam Party-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh has decided to increase the maximum working hours from nine to ten per day in all private firms and factories. This announcement is aimed at attracting more investments and industries, but resulted in backlash from several quarters including labour unions, opposition and social media users.
According to the media, Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Minister K Parthasarathy has announced that labour laws would be amended to make them more 'favourable' to workers and investors.
Elaborating on the decisions made by the cabinet regarding labour laws, he said, "Relevant sections of laws which allow a maximum of nine hours of work a day have now been raised to 10 hours per day. Under Section 55, there used to be a one-hour rest for five hours (work); now that has been changed to six hours."
CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna criticised the move, accusing the National Democratic Alliance governments both at the Centre and state levels of pursuing 'anti-worker' policies.
Also read: Andhra extends daily work limit to 10 hours
CPM state secretary V Srinivasa Rao condemned the decision and stated that the state government is under pressure from the Centre to amend rules to appease big industrialists. He added that such amendments will only turn workers into slaves.
Labour unions have also, reportedly, opposed the move and called it exploitative and a betrayal of workers. They are also of the view that such amendments will only create a burden on workers and strain employer-employee relationship.
Social media platforms were also abuzz with criticism. Some posts even went to the extent of calling such laws exploitative in nature. Some users said that employees deserve better.
Another used post questioned the NDA-led Andhra Pradesh government on the remuneration that the companies would pay to the employees for the added hours. Some of them asserted that it would amend labour laws to make people work for at least 10 hours in private firms but pay peanuts as salaries in return.
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