Gig Workers Strike IndiaImage Credit source: AI Generated
If you have not already started preparations for celebration on New Year’s Eve, then you may have to be disappointed at the last moment. The entire celebration may go waste. There is a reason for that too. Gig workers are on strike today i.e. 31st December. Any order from Quick Commerce app will not reach your home in 5 to 10 minutes. In such a situation, you will have to start preparing for this celebration right now i.e. from the morning. If we talk about Delhi only, more than 5 thousand gig workers will be offline. This means that none of them will deliver. Let us tell you that the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union had announced a strike on 25th and 31st December regarding their demands. There is a lot of demand for quick commerce during these two days. Let us also tell you what is the whole matter.
Why are gig workers protesting?
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have called for the strike with the support of several regional organizations in parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi-NCR, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. According to unions, delivery partners, often called the backbone of India’s digital commerce ecosystem, are forced to work long hours for dwindling earnings, and have little security, respect and job guarantees.
Impact on New Year celebrations
Due to the gig workers’ strike, customers may face long delays and cancellations in orders as delivery executives are logging off from the app or significantly reducing their workload. The strike is likely to affect food orders, grocery delivery and last minute shopping in major cities like Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata as well as in many tier-2 markets.
TGPWU founder-president Sheikh Salauddin told ET in a statement that the unions expect 100,000 to 150,000 riders to join the strike on New Year’s Eve. Salauddin said that we expect a large number of riders to participate. We will go on a sudden strike in different cities. Some people will stop food distribution during lunch and dinner. Some will stop working when people order groceries.
What should customers do now?
Before New Year’s Eve, delivery platforms are running several promotional offers, advising customers to stock up on goods. Delivery is not guaranteed, so to avoid last minute hassles, it would be better to buy essential items directly from stores. Customers should be prepared for sudden or unexpected price increases before midnight on New Year’s Eve. Additionally, delivery time may increase from the usual 10 minutes, so don’t rely on instant delivery apps for emergency items.