Delivery workers of Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart are planning to go on strike on December 25 and 31. The Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union are leading the movement. They demand that they should get job guarantee, good salary, safe working environment and social security benefits. The protest reflects growing concern over the status of delivery workers amid earnings from platform companies.
The strike has been called by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) to raise their voices against deteriorating working conditions and low wages. Posting a video on social media platform X, the unions appealed to delivery workers across platforms including Swiggy, Zomato and Flipkart Minutes to join them. He described it as a nationwide movement, coinciding with the busiest days of food delivery and express commerce services.
Unions are demanding job security, higher wages, safer working conditions and social security benefits. TGPWU founder president Sheikh Salahuddin said in a statement that delivery workers are facing extremely difficult conditions due to unstable working structures, dwindling earnings and complete lack of social security. He said the strike is a demand for justice, respect and accountability. The government can no longer remain silent while platform companies are making profits at the risk of workers’ lives.
The proposed strike comes just weeks after the government implemented new labor laws, which for the first time clearly define gig work, platform work and aggregators. Under these rules, online platforms that rely on gig workers for delivery, warehousing and related services will have to contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover to the Gig Worker Welfare Fund. After the announcement, Zomato’s parent company Eternal and Swiggy said they will comply with the new labor laws. He also said that these changes will not have a major impact on his long-term business or financial position.
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