For many Indians, welcoming the New Year involves cozy gatherings with family and friends, often accompanied by food ordered from favourite restaurants. However, this year's December 31st celebrations are set to face significant disruption as delivery workers across the country prepare for a major nationwide strike.
Nationwide Strike to Disrupt New Year's Eve Plans
The strike has been called by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT). They are receiving strong support from regional worker groups in key states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi-NCR, West Bengal, and parts of Tamil Nadu. Workers associated with major platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart are expected to participate, potentially causing widespread service delays or cancellations on one of the busiest nights for food delivery.
Core Demands: Safety, Wages, and Social Security
The unions are protesting against a host of pressing issues faced by gig workers. Central to their grievances are unsafe delivery targets, falling earnings despite longer work hours, and a severe lack of job security. Workers also highlight the absence of dignity at work and almost no access to basic social protection schemes.
In a formal letter to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the IFAT, which claims to represent approximately 400,000 app-based transport and delivery workers nationwide, outlined their demands. The protest aims to draw government attention to unsafe delivery models, declining incomes, arbitrary ID blocking by apps, and the complete absence of social security.
Call for Government Regulation and Fair Practices
The unions have urged the government to take concrete action. Their key demands include regulating platform companies under existing labour laws and banning unsafe delivery practices, such as extreme fast-delivery timelines that compromise rider safety.
Furthermore, they are advocating for:
- A fair and transparent wage calculation system.
- Comprehensive social security benefits, including health cover, accident insurance, and pension plans.
- Legal protection for workers' right to organise and bargain collectively.
The impact of such collective action was seen recently. An official data point from a similar nationwide strike held on December 25th reported a 50-60% disruption in services across several major cities. This precedent suggests the New Year's Eve strike could significantly affect last-minute party plans and celebrations for countless customers relying on quick commerce and food delivery apps.
