Karnataka bans night shift for women

The Karnataka Government’s decision to bannight shifts for women has kicked up a row with thewomen’s groups planning to oppose the Government’s“retrograde” move.

Karnataka’s Minister for Labour Iqbal Ansari’sannouncement to ban night shifts for women in shops,commercial establishments and hotels from July thisyear has not only triggered waves of panic among thethousands of women, who fear losing their lobs, butalso among the employers in the hotel industry,shopping malls and recreation centres.

“Women employees will not be allowed to work after 8pm. The aim is to check the rising crime againstwomen”, Ansari said at a function late on Fridayevening. The Government had suitably amended the Shopsand Commercial Establishments Act in view of theincreasing number of complaints about harassment ofwomen during night shifts, he said.

“I am sure the legislation will come to the aid ofhelpless working women and will be treated as ameasure to protect them”, he said.Ansari also made it clear that the ban excludes womenemployees in the Information Technology (IT) andBio-Technology (BT), besides hospitals and otheressential services, the Labour Minister clarified.

But, the Government’s decision has not been takenkindly by either by the women’s groups or thehospitality sector, which is a 24x7 industry.Karnataka Women’s Commission has taken the lead inopposing the Government move to ban night shift forwomen.

Commission Chairperson Pramila Nesargi said “Itis not a progressive legislation. The ban isunscientific and it denies women the right to work ona par with men”, she said.Nesargi said the Karnataka Women’s Commission willhold a meeting next week to chart out their futurecourse of action on the Government’s move to ban nightshifts for women.

Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane, a women’s organization,opposed the ban on the grounds that it would thousandsof women losing their jobs.

Joining the chorus against the ban on night shift arethe management of the hospitality sector. GeneralManager of Taj West End in Bangalore P K Mohan Kumarsaid fifty per cent of the hotel industry’s frontlinestaff are women. “They constituted a large portion ofguest relations, front desk and housekeeping. It isactually an industry, where women can build careers”,he said.

The ban is unlikely to be welcomed even by the womenemployees and the managements in shopping malls andshowrooms across the State.