IT employees demand 8 hour work day

Madhapur: About 2,000 IT employees took time off from their duty to come-together to show their strength and solidarity in their demand for better wages and work environment in the evening on Friday.  The gathering was organised by Forum of IT Professionals to commemorate the 132nd anniversary of the Haymarket Affair which is also known as the Haymarket massacre on May 4, 1886 at Haymarket Square in Chicago.

The employees gathered opposite Raheja Mindspace with placards and a string of demands that included better wages, conducive work environment, job security, assurance of wages and EMI holidays.

Praveen, founder of Forum of IT Professionals said, “There is no concept of overtime in the IT industry. It is an established norm that one needs to work only for eight hours and if one is made to stretch, they would have to be compensated properly.”  He further added, “In IT industry working for 10-12 hours is now become a norm. Hapless workers in need of a job succumb to the pressure and in the process, develop health problems.”

Rakesh, an employee said, “The government needs to implement labour laws in the IT industry. There is a need to streamline the industry as people are exploited to the hilt.” The gathering that included IT professionals from all ages including newcomers, veterans and middle level managers raised voices for security, Madhavan Nair, a middle level manager with a software company said, “Such is the exploitation that people with high salaries are just thrown out of jobs through a mail. There is no courtesy. The people who worked and made Hyderabad what it is today in the initial years are left to lurch.”

It may be noted that in 2017, close to 40,000 IT employees lost their jobs in Hyderabad alone and about a lakh across the country.  Praveen says, “The government should intervene and bring some parity by giving EMI holidays-meaning the employees need not pay the equal monthly installment till they get another job.” Hundreds of employees who purchased apartments and houses lost their properties as financial institutions took them over as the employees were unable to pay the EMIs.