Women not to work in night shifts – Haryana Government

No night duty for women, Haryana tells call centres
New Delhi: Here’s a case of killing a $5.2-billion golden goose with a stick made in 1958. Haryana government has sent notices to Gurgaon-based call centres asking them not to allow women employees on night shifts. As women comprise an estimated 40% of the workforce, the notice can spell disaster for the offshoring business.
The instrument being used to enforce ‘discipline’ is a little-known section of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishment Act of 1958, which forbids women from working night shifts. Notices have been sent by the Haryana labour department to BPOs, including Convergys and Saffron Global, threatening ‘‘strict action’’ against them. The very nature of the outsourcing business requires most work to be transacted at night.
BPO experts say Gurgaon generates around 70% of India’s off-shoring revenues. Nasscom predicts the sector would employ 1.2 million by 2008. The archaic provision that’s being invoked to threaten all this is Section 30 of the 1958 Act. According to it, ‘‘No woman shall be required or allowed to work whether as an employee or otherwise in any establishment during night.’’
Until now, call centres have sought exemption from this clause from the labour commissioner. But, G S Thakur, labour officer-cumconciliation officer of the circle under which BPOs like Convergys and Saffron Global fall, said: ‘‘These call centres were found violating employment conditions and hence they have not been granted any further exemption. We’ll take strict action.’’
Any destabilisation of BPO business in Gurgaon, with about 150 call centres, would hurt Haryana the most.

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