Workers’ unions protest Gujarat govt’s amendments to factory work laws allowing 12-hour shift

Workers’ unions have strongly protested the amendments to the factory workers’ laws by the Gujarat government. The amendments  will push factory workers to clock up to 12 hours a day, up from the previous 9-hour limit, they alleged.

The unions complained that this will allow factory owners to force workers to pull a 12-hour shift once a week. They alleged that the government’s move was to appease factory owners and industrialists of the state, overlooking the workers’ well-being in the process.

They also reminded the government that their representations to the state went unheard, when during summer, the government was asked to take solid steps to shield the workers from heatstrokes due to extreme heat.

The Gujarat government earlier this month introduced a sweeping set of labour reforms through an ordinance that pushes factory workers to clock up to 12 hours a day, up from the previous 9-hour limit, while retaining the weekly cap of 48 working hours. 

The move was part of the Factories (Gujarat Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, which was issued on July 1 by the Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department, in the absence of a state assembly session.

The ordinance was aimed at improving industrial flexibility to boost investments, productivity, and job creation in Gujarat’s manufacturing sector. Under the revised Section 54 of the Factories Act, daily work shifts can now officially stretch to 12 hours, subject to written consent from workers and adherence to weekly hour limits.

In addition, the uninterrupted work period can be extended from five to six hours, pending formal notification. Increased provisions for overtime compensation have also been included: workers will now be paid double wages for extra hours, and the quarterly overtime ceiling has been lifted from 75 to 125 hours, again requiring voluntary worker participation.

A key highlight of the amendment was the provision allowing women to work night shifts (between 7 pm and 6 am), a step seen as a push for gender inclusivity in industrial workplaces.

However, this will be subject to 16 stringent safeguards, including round-the-clock CCTV surveillance, female security staff, a minimum of 10 women per shift, and secure transportation. Crucially, no woman can be assigned night duties without written consent, and protection from harassment is mandatory.

The Factories (Gujarat Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, introduces significant changes to labour regulations in the state, primarily aimed at enhancing industrial efficiency and employment flexibility.

Key provisions include increasing the permissible daily working hours from 9 to 12, with a continued weekly cap of 48 hours, subject to the worker’s written consent.

It also extended the maximum uninterrupted work period from five to six hours, and raised the quarterly overtime limit from 75 to 125 hours, with mandatory double-wage compensation.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)