Delhi: Incentives undercut call for strike by gig workers in NCR

On December 30, gig worker unions wrote to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya listing 15 demands including an end to 10-20 minute delivery timelines, the institution of a guaranteed minimum monthly earnings structure, among others.

A nationwide strike called by unions representing gig workers associated with major e-commerce, food delivery, and cab platforms failed to significantly disrupt services in Delhi-NCR on New Year’s Eve, as lucrative incentives offered by major platforms led a vast majority of workers to remain on the job.

A Swiggy official stated that enhanced incentives are standard during peak demand periods, allowing delivery partners “to benefit from increased earning opportunities.”

The strike, called by the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), aimed to protest working conditions, particularly stringent delivery timelines and a lack of social security benefits. It mirrored a similar action on Christmas Day that saw mixed participation in NCR.

For most workers HT spoke to, the decision to forego the strike was based on immediate financial necessity. Delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato offered substantially increased earnings for the high-demand holiday. Zomato, in a notification to its delivery partners, promised incentives that could total up to ₹4,000 for logging in on Wednesday.

A 27-year-old Zomato delivery executive in Delhi, who requested anonymity, said: “I want to protest because we are expected to deliver within minutes – by customers and the company – and that’s a huge risk to my life. But I’m not protesting because on New Year’s Eve I stand to earn more than usual, and that makes a difference to a household like mine.”

“The company has promised an incentive of ₹100 per order today. Usually I earn ₹700, but today I will take home ₹3,000-3,500. How can I log out today?”

This was echoed by Sahil, 27, a delivery executive supporting a family of six, including a brother aspiring to attend Delhi University. “Working conditions are terrible. I hate doing late-night deliveries, especially on foggy winter nights, but I still do them,” he said, adding that the added earnings were “too hard to ignore”.

Regret over lost income from previous protests also influenced decisions. A 35-year-old delivery worker from Nehru Nagar participated in the Christmas strike but watched as his friends earned significantly. “I regret logging off that day,” he admitted. In Noida, 24-year-old Ashwini Kumar made the same choice after losing an estimated ₹2,500- ₹3,000 on December 25. “I don’t have an option,” he said.

Rakesh Mondal, 32, a delivery partner in Gurugram, told HT his daughter’s admission to a private hospital left him with no choice. “Every delivery tonight means medicines, tests and one more day of treatment,” he explained.

On December 30, gig worker unions wrote to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya listing 15 demands. These include an end to 10-20 minute delivery timelines, the institution of a guaranteed minimum monthly earnings structure, fixed per-kilometer rates for ride-hailing, and formal recognition under existing labour laws to access social security benefits.

Sachin, a delivery executive in Noida Sector 6 who purchased a bike on loan for this work, expressed a common frustration. “I have to pay an EMI of ₹4,200, so I can’t afford to protest even though I would like to,” he said. He added he would have joined the strike if more workers had participated, highlighting the coordination challenge.

A minority of workers, however, observed the strike. Sachin Rawat, 29, a Swiggy delivery partner, chose not to log in at all on Wednesday. “Over the last few years, the price of petrol has gone up, but that is not considered while giving us incentives,” he said. “There is no real consideration for our safety, no proper insurance.”

A Swiggy official stated that enhanced incentives are standard during peak demand periods, allowing delivery partners “to benefit from increased earning opportunities.”

The protest drew support from AAP Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha, who spent the day with gig workers in Old Rajinder Nagar and posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Their demands for fair pay, humane working conditions, dignity at work and social security are legitimate and just. This protest was not about disruption, but about being heard. I stand with them in solidarity.”