December 31st typically experiences one of the highest food orders, but this year, social media is flooded with news that in some parts of India, delivery platform workers will be on strike on this day of 2025, dampening party plans for many.
The strike has been called by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers, with support from regional worker groups in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi-NCR, West Bengal and parts of Tamil Nadu. It is reported that the workers associated with platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon and Flipkart are expected to take part in the strike.
The reason for protestAccording to the unions, the protest is against work hours and safety issues. They are being pushed to work longer hours even as their earnings fall. They face unsafe delivery targets, limited job security, lack of dignity at work and almost no access to basic social protection.
In a letter sent to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, IFAT said it represents around 4,00,000 app-based transport and delivery workers across the country.
As per official data, the nationwide strike on December 25 led to 50-60% disruption in services in several cities. The protest, according to the union, was aimed at drawing attention to unsafe delivery models, falling incomes, arbitrary ID blocking and the absence of social security.
In its letter IFAT has urged the government to regulate platform companies under labour laws and ban unsafe delivery models, including extreme fast-delivery timelines. They have also asked for fair and transparent wage systems, social security benefits such as health cover, accident insurance and pensions, and protection of workers’ right to organise and bargain collectively.
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