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Gig workers’ all-India strike on New Year’s Eve? End to 10-minute delivery among key demands
This comes after a similar strike on Christmas Day caused significant service disruptions in parts of Gurugram, while Delhi and Noida saw limited impact.
A nationwide strike by gig and platform workers is reportedly planned for New Year’s Eve on December 31, with delivery executives, cab drivers and home service workers employed by major e-commerce platforms announcing a coordinated protest over pay, safety and working conditions.
The protest has been called by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union and will involve workers associated with companies such as Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart, CNBC-TV18 and The Hindu reported.
This comes after a similar strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) on Christmas, December 25, caused significant service disruptions in parts of Gurugram, while Delhi and Noida saw limited impact, as reported by HT earlier.
What are gig workers demanding?
- Income security for gig and platform workers, aligned with statutory minimum wages.
- A fair and transparent pay structure, including a minimum rate of not less than ₹20 per km for ride-hailing drivers.
- An eight-hour working day, with provision for overtime pay beyond fixed hours.
- Comprehensive social security benefits, including functional insurance to support workers during accidents, illness or emergencies.
- Withdrawal of “10-minute delivery” service models, which workers say encourage unsafe driving and endanger lives, as reported by The Hindu, citing an IFAT official.
- Safer working conditions, including restrictions on late-night deliveries during high-risk periods such as winter fog.
Beyond earnings, safety emerged as a key concern, particularly during winter nights. Workers demanded that platforms suspend deliveries after 11 pm during periods of dense fog, citing hazardous driving conditions.
Christmas Day strike hits Gurugram
The December 25 protest was most visible in Gurugram, where residents across several sectors reported long delays in food deliveries. Areas such as Badshahpur in Sector 66, Sohna Road, and Sectors 31, 47 and 48 were among the worst affected.
The disruption followed coordinated log-offs by delivery partners, many of whom gathered at prominent market complexes. Around 70–80 workers assembled at the Rodeo Drive Market Complex in Sector 47, while similar protests were reported at Baani Square in Sector 50, ILD Tower near Subhash Chowk, Eros City Square in Sector 49 and HUDA Market in Sector 46.
Workers said additional gatherings of 50 to 100 people took place at other locations in the city.
Meanwhile, some protesters also alleged retaliation by platform management. A delivery executive claimed his rate card was “deleted” from the app after a team leader saw him at a protest site. Workers said such actions had created fear among those participating in the demonstrations.
