Driven to the wall, food delivery workers to go on strike on Christmas, NYE in state

Hyderabad: Delivery workers from major e-commerce and food delivery platforms have announced a two-day, all-India strike on Christmas (December 25) and New Year’s Eve (December 31), two of the busiest days of the year to protest against worsening work conditions.

The strike has been called to protest the denial of fair wages, safety, dignity and social security of delivery workers.

According to the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), the delivery workers will be from food delivery platforms, including Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon, Flipkart and other E-Commerce aggregator companies.

Shaik Salauddin, Founder President, Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) said, “Despite being the backbone of last-mile delivery--especially during peak seasons and festivals--delivery workers are forced to endure long working hours, falling earnings, unsafe delivery targets, arbitrary ID blocking, lack of job security and absence of basic welfare protections,” said Salauddin.

The platform workers unions demanded – fair and better pay through transparent wage structures and incentives reflecting real working hours and costs, immediate withdrawal of unsafe ‘10-minute delivery’ models that endanger workers’ lives, end to arbitrary ID blocking and penalties without due process, improved safety measures, including safety gear and accident insurance/support.

Additionally, the union urged for the assured and consistent work allocation without algorithmic discrimination, respect and dignity at work, including humane treatment by platforms and customers, mandatory rest breaks and reasonable working hours, stronger app and technical support, including grievance redressal for routing and payment failures and job security and social security, including health insurance, accident coverage, and pension benefits.

“The unchecked algorithmic control exercised by platform companies has pushed delivery workers into deep economic insecurity, forcing excessive work hours while shifting all risks onto workers,” said Salauddin.

The striking workers urge both the Central and State Governments to immediately regulate platform companies, enforce labour protections, implement social security frameworks for gig and platform workers, and recognise the right of gig workers to organise and collectively bargain.

Highlighting the urgency of the strike, Salauddin stated, “This strike is a collective call for justice, dignity and accountability. The government can no longer remain a silent spectator while platform companies profit at the cost of workers’ lives.”

Delivery workers appeal to citizens, Civil Society Organisations, Trade Unions, to stand in solidarity with them and support their legitimate struggle for fair, safe, and dignified work.