Last-minute party shopping and food orders on New Year’s Eve are expected to be hit across India as delivery app and gig workers have launched a nationwide strike on December 31. New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest days for online orders. Any slowdown is likely to affect food delivery, quick grocery services and e-commerce in many cities. Delivery agents linked to platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon and Flipkart are expected to join the protest. Trade unions say the strike may disrupt deliveries for retailers and online companies that rely heavily on doorstep delivery to meet their year-end sales goals.
The protest comes after a successful ‘flash strike” on Christmas Day that kept almost 40,000 workers from going online, which caused delays in upto 60% of orders in major cities like Hyderabad and Gurgaon. Speaking on the matter, The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) President Shaikh Salauddin had told ANI that it was a “warning shot” and that the “real picture” of worker solidarity would be clear on December 31.
“We work 14 hours, but we get punished”
Speaking to news agency ANI, one of the delivery partners said, “We are on strike for many reasons, but the main one is the rate card. We don’t get paid enough, and the firm doesn’t offer any insurance. No matter what problems we have, we always smile and say, Thank you sir, please give us a rating. But if an order is cancelled for any reason, the rider is the only one who has to pay the amount. We work 14 hours a day, but we don’t get paid based on how much work we do.”
Explaining the problems around rate card, another worker said that at first, “the rate card was fine, but now they have changed it, causing difficulties and problems for all the riders. We don’t even get insurance claims.” He further added,”A rider recently had an accident at Barakhamba, and he didn’t receive any claim. Our team leader and senior company officials told him to create a PDF, which they would send to Bangalore. There was no response from there. We all chipped in Rs 1000-2000 to help that rider. Now that guy is working even at night, taking orders at 1 or 2 AM. “
The agent complained that their team leader is unavailable on calls and never answers their phone. “After 20 or 25 calls, the TL answers with an attitude. And if you argue with him even a little, he blocks your ID… After working 14 hours, we’re only getting Rs 700-800… Today, there’s a strike all over Delhi,” he said.
The TGPWU has made it clear how to reach an agreement. The demands include a fixed minimum wage of Rs 35 per delivery for short distances and a guaranteed minimum monthly income of Rs 40,000.
Five key demands
The unions have sent an official list of complaints to the Union Labour Ministry. These complaints are based on five key areas of reform that Shaikh Salauddin has pointed out as mentioned in a report by ANI.
1. Restoration of old pay structures: Going back to models that included fair base pay and regular festival bonuses.
2. Ending ultra-fast deliveries: Unions say that the 10-minute delivery model puts riders in dangerous, high-speed situations, so it should be stopped right away.
3. Transparency in ID Blocking: No more “algorithmic punishments” or random account deactivations without a way for people to complain to a real person.
4. Minimum wage : A call for a policy that makes sure ride-hailing and delivery partners get at least Rs 20 per km.
5. Social Security benefits: Giving workers basic rights, such as health and accident insurance and protections for pregnant women.