The startling comment by Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy that youngsters in India must say, “This is my country. I want to work 70 hours a week”, in order to make the country competitive, and the support he received from several members of India Inc., is undoubtedly an example of how captains of industry can adroitly hide their lust for profits by preaching virtue. More importantly, it is an argument that fails the litmus test on three counts.
First, Mr. Narayana Murthy made a factually incorrect statement that extended working hours helped advanced countries such as Germany and Japan to succeed. Second, he placed the burden of increasing productivity on the shoulders of workers, when the reality is that they have underinvested in innovation, the critical factor for raising productivity. Third, Mr. Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour week proposal violates international labour standards (ILS), the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Decent Work Agenda and its Fundamental Conventions that lay down the working hours in order to ensure that women and men get decent and productive work. The ILS is increasingly becoming the prerequisite for gaining market access in advanced countries and for companies to participate in supply chains. Non-adherence to ILS could, therefore, seriously affect the aspirations of Indian industry to expand their presence in global markets.
