Gujarat Assembly passes bill extending daily industrial shift to 12 hours from 9

The Gujarat Assembly on Wednesday passed an amendment bill allowing industrial work timings to be extended to 12 hours a day from the existing nine hours with support from Bharatiya Janata Party BJP legislators amid opposition from the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party AAP news agency PTI reportedThe Factories Gujarat Amendment Bill 2025 which amends the Factories Act 1948 also permits women to work night shifts between 7 pm and 6 am provided adequate safety measures are in placeThe bill which replaced an ordinance promulgated in July was passed through a majority voice vote as Congress and AAP opposed the revised work hours for factory workers PTI reportedIndustries Minister Balvantsinh Rajput who tabled the bill said the legislation aims to boost investment and industrial development creating more economic activities and employment opportunitiesSeeking to allay concerns regarding extended work hours and workersrsquo exploitation Rajput clarified that the total weekly working hours would remain under 48 hours PTI reportedThe Bill allows the state government to increase the number of work hours from the existing nine hours to twelve hours inclusive of rest intervals on any day subject to a maximum of 48 hours a week This will create more economic activities and employment opportunities said RajputThis means that workers will get paid leave for the remaining three days if they work for 12 hours in four days and finish 48 hours of workCongress Member of Legislative Assembly MLA Jignesh Mevani alleged that the amendment amounts to exploitation of workers contradicting the governmentrsquos claim of financial empowerment for themAnyway they are already working for 11 to 12 hours a day as the ninehour work shift rule is not followed If you extend them to 12 hours the workers will be forced to toil for 13 to 14 hours he said adding that the extended work hours would adversely affect the health of the workers depriving them of sufficient sleepThe state cannot progress by forcing poor workers who are already malnourished to work for 12 hours stated MevaniThe bill claims that factory owners will be required to obtain workersrsquo consent for increasing the working hours Can a poor labourer turn down this demand He will be immediately sacked by the owner for refusing to work for 12 hours There are many alternatives to achieve economic progress and this is certainly not the way the Congress MLA further statedMeanwhile AAP legislator Gopal Italia claimed the bill was introduced for the benefit of factory owners not workersWhat was the emergency to bring an ordinance first Did workers or unions approach you and demand that working hours be increased Without the job protection clause the consent clause had no meaning as workers would be fired if they refuse to work for 12 hours There must be a concrete assurance that no one will lose their job said ItaliaBotad MLA Umesh Makwana who had been suspended from AAP also opposed the bill and tore its copy in the HouseMinister Rajput told the assembly that he had addressed concerns of major trade and labour unions after the ordinance was promulgated in JulyI told labour union leaders that they need not worry because provisions of this amendment are temporary If we find that factory owners are not following norms and workers are subjected to injustice this bill empowers us to withdraw the amendment he saidHowever with Congress and AAP opposing the bill it was eventually passed through a majority voice voteLater the assembly unanimously passed The Gujarat Medical Practitioners Amendment Bill and The Gujarat Clinical Establishments Registration and Regulation Second Amendment Bill with minor changes to existing lawsWith PTI inputs