‘Penalise if...’: MP writes to labour minister as L&T Chairman’s 90-hour-work-week remark sparks outrage

90-hour-work-week: Following L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s comments suggesting employees work for 90 hours in a week, CPIML (Liberation) MP Raja Ram Singh wrote to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday, urging him to penalise any violations of laws regarding working hours in offices.

In his letter, Singh also referenced a statement by Infosys Co-founder Narayana Murthy advocating for a 70-hour workweek, along with support for such proposals from individuals like Bhavish Aggarwal of Ola and Sajjan Jindal of Jindal Steel Works.

The 90-hour-work-week debate

Subrahmanyan’s remarks advocating a 90-hour workweek and working Sundays sparked outrage online. "How long can you stare at your wife," he is heard saying in a purported video address to employees where he urged them to spend less time at home and more in the office.

CPIML (Liberation) leader Singh urged the Union minister to initiate measures to ensure strict enforcement of laws governing working hours, reported PTI.

“It is important to note that not only does working longer hours not ensure increased productivity, but in fact reduces productivity. One of the serious impacts of long working hours is on the health of the workers, Singh said.

Several studies have linked long working shifts to a negative impact on general health, including problems with cognitive anxiety, musculoskeletal disorders, sleep disturbance, and stress," the Karakat MP said.

"The statements made by the Chairman of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and the co-founder of Infosys raises questions as to the practices being followed in the said companies and the conditions of workers working therein,” he said.

The State has a responsibility to safeguard the well-being of workers and to ensure that any violations of labour laws are promptly addressed and appropriately penalised, he said.

"It is therefore imperative for the government to take cognisance of these issues and initiate measures to ensure strict enforcement of laws governing working hours and steps are taken to ensure that workers are not compelled to work beyond the legally mandated limit of 48 hours per week," he said.

India's 8-hour-work day

The Lok Sabha MP said India already has one of the most "hardworking workforce" in the world.

"The International Labour Organisation reports that, in 2023, Indians will have the longest average workweek among the world's ten largest economies. Only Qatar, Congo, Lesotho, Bhutan, Gambia, and the United Arab Emirates have higher average working hours than India, which comes in at number seven in the world," he said, reported PTI.

Section 51 of the Factories Act mandates that no adult worker shall be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than forty-eight hours in any week and it mandates that no worker should be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than nine hours in any day, said Raja Ram Singh, reported PTI.