Telangana Trade Unions Protest Government's Decision to Increase Workday to 10 Hours.

Trade unions in Telangana are protesting the government's decision to increase daily work hours from 8 to 10 hours at commercial establishments, citing concerns for workers' health and well-being. The unions are demanding the revocation of the government order issued on July 5. The unions argue that increasing work hours will lead to burnout and negatively impact workers' quality of life.

Telangana's government has sparked controversy with its decision to increase daily work hours at commercial establishments from 8 to 10 hours. The new rule, set to come into effect on July 8, maintains a weekly limit of 48 hours, with overtime wages for hours exceeding this limit [1].

The Telangana government's move is part of an effort to promote ease of doing business, following directives from the Centre. However, trade unions in the state have strongly opposed the change, citing concerns for workers' health and well-being. They argue that the increased work hours will lead to burnout and negatively impact the quality of life for workers [1].

The new policy allows commercial establishments to operate with longer daily work hours, provided that the total weekly hours do not exceed 48. Any hours worked beyond this limit will be considered overtime and will be compensated accordingly. The policy also specifies that no employee should work more than six hours at a stretch without a 30-minute interval, and the total working hours in a day should not exceed 12 hours [1].

Despite the concerns raised by trade unions, the Telangana government maintains that the policy is aimed at improving productivity and facilitating business operations. The government has also indicated that it is considering similar changes for factories in the state [1].

The debate over the new work hour policy is likely to continue, with trade unions pushing for the revocation of the government order and the government defending its decision. The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for the state's labor market and economic growth.

References:
[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/10-hour-workdays-allowed-in-telangana-for-commercial-establishments-overtime-for-anything-beyond-48-hours/week-work-hours-in-factories-likely-to-increase-too/articleshow/122275285.cms