COIMBATORE: Gig workers affiliated with the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) held a protest near the district collectorate on Saturday, demanding that the government implement laws ensuring their safety. The workers urged the Union government to grant them labourer status, pointing out that their working hours are not fixed.
Key demands of the gig workers
The protesters demanded provident fund (PF), Employees' State Insurance (ESI), and the appointment of a dedicated officer in every organisation to address their grievances. They condemned employers for deducting tax at source (TDS) and called for government intervention to cancel TDS.
Statements from AITUC leaders
AITUC state secretary M Arumugam told reporters, "The growth of delivery applications is entirely dependent on these workers, yet they remain unrecognised. They work over 12 hours a day but are treated like daily wage workers. Many graduates are doing this job, and we demand proper recognition as labourers. Companies should provide a vehicle service allowance because workers spend heavily from their own pockets."
He added, "Workers should receive Rs 18 per kilometre for the distance from pickup to delivery points. The government should formulate laws, especially to prohibit suspension of worker accounts without prior inquiry or explanation."
Personal experiences of the workers
A gig worker who participated in the protest shared his experience of ill-treatment. "I was denied entry from the main gate of a restaurant and was told to use the rear gate, which was unclean with stagnant drains. I had to wait there to pick up the order. We are denied basic equality. There is no security for our lives despite the risky job of delivering items within a limited time, regardless of weather or traffic. Some people humiliate us for being late, and there is no one to report to," he said.
