Gig Delivery Workers Call Nationwide New Year’s Eve Strike, Swiggy–Zomato Services May See Disruptions

New Delhi: Last-minute party preparations, food orders and grocery deliveries could be hit across India on New Year’s eve as gig and delivery workers plan a nationwide strike on December 31. With the final day of the year among the busiest for app-based platforms, unions say the protest could disrupt services at a crucial time for companies and consumers alike.

Workers linked to major platforms including Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon and Flipkart are expected to participate. The strike is likely to affect food delivery, quick commerce and e-commerce operations in several major cities.

Peak demand meets rising discontent

New Year’s Eve typically sees a surge in orders for meals, snacks, alcohol mixers, party supplies and groceries. Platforms rely heavily on delivery partners to meet this spike in demand and close the year with strong sales. Unions argue that a slowdown on December 31 could impact retailers and digital platforms that depend on last-mile delivery to fulfil year-end targets.

The planned action, they say, is meant to draw attention to long-standing issues faced by gig workers that often go unnoticed during high-demand seasons.

Falling earnings and longer hours

According to worker unions, delivery partners are being pushed to work longer hours while their take-home earnings continue to decline. They allege that frequent changes to incentive structures and payment algorithms have reduced per-order income, forcing workers to stay logged in for extended periods just to earn a basic livelihood.

Workers also claim they face unsafe delivery targets, especially during late-night hours and heavy traffic conditions common on New Year’s Eve. Many say the pressure to meet strict timelines increases the risk of accidents and stress.

Lack of security and social protection

Beyond pay concerns, unions highlight the absence of job security and social benefits. Most gig workers are classified as independent contractors, which means they have limited access to health insurance, paid leave or accident compensation. Issues of dignity at work, grievance redressal and arbitrary account suspensions have also been raised as key concerns driving the strike.