All-India delivery workers’ strike planned for December 25 and 31: What customers should know
Delivery workers across major platforms including Zomato, Swiggy, Amazon and Flipkart plan a nationwide strike on December 25 and 31. The protest, led by IFAT and TGPWU, demands higher pay, job security, safer working conditions and social security benefits.
New Delhi: Delivery staff in India are considering a country-wide strike on December 25 and 31, during two of the busiest days for food delivery and fast commerce platforms. The employees of Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart should take part in the protest, which is being framed as a coordinated action in the environment of various apps.
The Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) are the callers of the strike. According to the unions, working conditions of delivery partners have only gotten worse, and profits have kept declining despite the increase in demand and subsequent growth in platform companies, reported by the Economic Times.
Strike timed for peak business days
The union leaders have encouraged the delivery workers in the country to disconnect their apps on 25 and 31 December. The selection of dates was strategic because most of the time there are a lot of orders recorded on these days since there are holidays, celebrations and end-of-year demand, among others. One of the videos distributed on X invites employees of food delivery and fast commerce services, such as Swiggy, Zomato and Flipkart Minutes, to take part in the action.
According to the unions, the strike is aimed at attracting attention to what they term unsafe work patterns, high delivery pressures and irregular remuneration packages. According to them, the algorithms of the platforms drive workers to achieve unrealistic goals in the absence of adequate protections.
Key demands: pay, safety and social security
The striking employees are seeking employment security, improved and more open remuneration, a better and safer working environment and availability of social security cover. Shaik Salauddin, the founder president of TGPWU, said that delivery workers are being stretched to the limit by dwindling wages and the absence of the bare minimum.
He declared the protest a cry of dignity and responsibility and requested the government get more involved in implementing worker welfare at a time when the platform companies are on the rise.
Labour codes add pressure on platforms
The intended strike follows on the heels of the government informing new labour codes which officially acknowledge gig workers and platform workers. According to the new regulations, Internet platforms will be required to donate 1-2 per cent of their turnover every year to a welfare fund for gig workers.
The parent company, Eternal, and Swiggy of Zomato have stated that they would abide by the new rules. The two companies have said that the move will not significantly affect their long-term financial performance, although the worker groups claim that even on the ground, the changes have yet to be realised.