Bengaluru: The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has condemned Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks on Indian workers and working hours, accusing him of glorifying an exploitative work culture and encouraging corporations to disregard labour protections.
Speaking at the India-Netherlands Business Forum while pitching India as an aggressive investment destination, Goyal said, “Nobody in India will tell you it's 5 o'clock. And certainly, no Indian will ever remind you it's the weekend.”
Reacting to the remarks, KITU said they effectively gave corporations a free hand to disregard working-hour regulations, weekly holidays and labour law protections. The union argued that projecting Indian workers as being available to employers at all hours normalised exploitative working conditions.
“By projecting that Indian workers will remain available to employers at all hours, including weekends, the Minister is promoting a culture of chattel slavery,” KITU said in its statement.
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The union also linked Goyal’s remarks to earlier calls by corporate leaders for longer working hours. It cited Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and the chairman of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), who have advocated extended working hours, arguing that such demands prioritise corporate interests over workers’ well-being.
KITU said Indian workers were already dealing with extended working hours, workplace stress and burnout, with the effects extending beyond the workplace to their physical health, mental well-being and family life.
“Time for rest, family, social participation, and personal development is not a privilege granted by employers; it is an essential part of a dignified human life,” the union said.
The statement comes amid recurring public debate over long working hours in India, particularly after prominent corporate leaders called for employees to work beyond conventional schedules. Murthy has previously advocated a 70-hour workweek, while L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan drew criticism in January 2025 after suggesting that employees should work 90 hours a week and questioning the need for Sundays off.
KITU said the normalisation of excessive work and disregard for labour protections by those in government was unacceptable. It called on the Union government to uphold workers’ rights, enforce labour laws and ensure compliance with international labour standards instead of echoing corporate demands.
The union also appealed to trade unions, workers and democratic organisations to oppose what it described as an attempt to make workers available to employers at all times.
“The working class must unite to defend reasonable working hours, weekly rest, work-life balance, and the right to disconnect from work outside working hours,” KITU said.
“Indian workers deserve a life beyond work. Their time, dignity, and wellbeing must not be sacrificed at the altar of corporate profits,” it added.
