In a significant move highlighting the plight of gig economy workers, approximately 60 delivery partners associated with a major e-commerce platform have launched a strike in parts of Kolkata's Tollygunge. The protest, which began on January 1, is centered on demands for adequate wages and a resolution to long-standing grievances.
Core Demands and Unsustainable Pay
The primary trigger for the work stoppage is the meager compensation structure offered to the delivery executives. Representing the aggrieved workers, Biswajit Naskar revealed that the platform pays only Rs 15 to Rs 16 per order for the first two kilometers. He emphasized that this rate is not "sustainable" for the partners to make a decent living.
Highlighting the inequity, Naskar pointed out that even on December 31, a day typically associated with high order volumes and earnings, the delivery partners received the same low rates and order allocation as on any ordinary day. This inconsistency has fueled resentment among the workforce.
Strike Spreads and Service Disruption
The impact of the strike is being felt acutely by customers in the Bansdroni area, where delivery services have remained interrupted for two consecutive days. The protest has gained momentum, following similar actions by gig workers from other online delivery platforms in the city.
The current agitation is notably concentrated around the Khanpur Industrial area near Bansdroni. Saurabh Ganguly, a member of the CITU-affiliated West Bengal Gig Workers Union, explained the localized action. "The wages for the delivery boys of the Khanpur hub are lower than the rest, so they started the strike," he stated.
Formal Complaint Lodged
As part of their organized protest, the gig workers from the Khanpur hub, backed by the union, have escalated the matter formally. They have lodged a complaint with the Netaji Nagar police station, seeking intervention and drawing official attention to their demands.
The workers have made it clear that their stir will continue indefinitely. Their resolve is firm: they will not return to work until the e-commerce platform's management engages with them and meets their demands for fair remuneration and improved working conditions.
This strike underscores the growing unrest among India's gig workers, who are increasingly mobilizing to challenge what they perceive as exploitative pay structures and a lack of job security in the rapidly expanding digital delivery ecosystem.
