HYDERABAD: Gig workers unions have renewed their demand for the removal of 10-minute delivery options and the restoration of earlier payout structures, ahead of a nationwide strike scheduled on Wednesday.The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) president, Shaik Salauddin, said the fast-delivery model was placing unsafe pressure on workers, while changes in payment systems had reduced earnings.
He said thousands of workers across the country were preparing to participate in the protest, which could disrupt delivery services during peak hours.“Our demand to the platform companies was that our old payout structure be reinstated and that the 10-minute delivery option be removed from all platforms. We had called for a strike on the 25th and 31st, and on the 25th, 40 thousand workers across India came out in support of it. We are ready to discuss and talk about it. We request the state and central government also to interfere in this,” Salauddin told ANI.According to the union, the protest has already begun in phases. Salauddin said that on December 25, around 40,000 workers across India joined demonstrations, leading to delays in more than half of deliveries.“On the 25th, around 40,000 workers across India joined the protest, due to which 50 to 60 per cent of orders were delayed. What happened on December 25 was just the trailer; the real picture will be seen on December 31,” he said.The strike is being organised under the banner of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), which represents delivery workers and drivers associated with companies such as Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto and Amazon.“People can see that we have been continuously raising our demands with platform companies. We have placed five key demands before them. Our first demand is that the old payout structure should be restored. Earlier, during festivals such as Dussehra, Diwali, and Bakrid, fair payments were made. That system must be implemented again regularly,” Salauddin said.The union leader also criticised what he described as opaque, algorithm-driven management systems, alleging that workers’ incomes had suffered as a result.“The algorithm controls workers’ businesses. Incentives are not being paid properly, and there is no clarity. We also want a proper grievance redressal mechanism and social security benefits,” he added.Salauddin claimed the movement had the backing of more than 1.5 lakh workers nationwide and accused aggregator companies of attempting to intimidate those participating in the protest.“Workers are being threatened. Bouncers are being deployed near warehouses, and IDs are being blocked through team leaders and area managers. This kind of pressure will not work,” he said.Patna’s delivery riders face life-threatening pressuresIn Patna, the constant hum of motorcycles has become one of the city’s defining sounds. But this isn’t the noise of convenience or leisure—it’s the soundtrack of work under extreme pressure. Thousands of delivery riders are racing against digital timers that dictate not just their pay, but also their safety and dignity. For 25-year-old Kishan Kumar, the pressure is unrelenting. Each delivery comes with a 15-minute window, after which penalties are applied automatically, ratings drop, and incentives vanish. “We don’t drive recklessly by choice. It’s a desperate tactic to survive peak traffic hours. When roads are clear, we often hit 80-90 km/h because the app only recognises speed as performance,” Kishan explained. He admits to frequently riding on the wrong side of the road, fully aware that one slip could be fatal—all to deliver a single grocery order on time.Delhi likely to see service disruptionsIndia’s first women-led national trade union for gig and platform workers, the Gig & Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU) has also called a nationwide strike. Workers across the country are expected to switch off the apps they use to deliver food, groceries, and other services, bringing operations to a halt.Nirmal Gorana, GIPSWU’s national coordinator, said the strike follows a successful digital action on December 25, when about 5,000 workers in Delhi NCR went offline. “Gig workers nationwide are now showing solidarity through the December 31 strike, highlighting the sector’s collective strength and the economy’s dependence on their labour,” he added.The strike draws attention to persistent challenges faced by gig workers, including lack of basic labour rights, harassment, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. GIPSWU is urging central and state governments to address key demands in line with labour laws. These include setting minimum per-kilometre rates, ensuring workplace safety for women, providing maternity and emergency leave, and legally recognising platform workers as “workers” under labour law.
