Mumbai: Delivery workers across the country held protest meetings to reiterate their demand for the enactment of a law to regulate labour in the gig and platform industry to ensure social security, fair wages, transparent grievance redressal mechanisms, and an end to what they called 'exploitative algorithmic practices' by e-commerce companies.
Women Workers Lead
Women workers led the protests in many parts of the country. In Mumbai, workers gathered at Azad Maidan in response to the call for a strike issued by the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). Similar meetings were organised in New Delhi, Jaipur, and Bengaluru.
Following the protests, the workers submitted a memorandum of demands to the office of the Prime Minister of India and Chief Ministers, calling for urgent government intervention to address the persistent challenges faced by workers due to the absence of a comprehensive, enforceable, and worker-centric legal framework governing gig and platform work.
Seema Singh, president, GIPSWU, stated that during her association with a company, she personally faced exploitation. When she raised complaints regarding these practices, the company allegedly threatened her with police action and issued legal notices. She further stated that a law for gig and platform service workers is required to regulate labour practices.
Workplace Harassment and Penalties
Workers shared experiences of assault by customers that were ignored by employers. One worker alleged that double cancellation penalties are among the worst unfair labour practices adopted by platform companies. Another delivery worker stated that his ID was wrongfully blocked on false accusations of theft by a restaurant owner. Other workers complained about sexual harassment at the workplace, with no redressal of their complaints.
Highlighting the alleged apathy that workers face, GIPSWU said that the family of a gig worker who died in an accident while performing delivery services was not provided any compensation either by the company or by the government.
Low Wages and Unsafe Conditions
Nirmal Gorana, national coordinator, GIPSWU, expressed serious concern that nearly 48 lakh gig workers earn less than Rs 15,000 per month as reported by the recent economic survey, making their living conditions insecure and unsustainable. He stressed that this alarming situation demands immediate and serious intervention by the Government of India. He further noted that while the earlier 10-minute delivery model was reportedly discontinued, companies have since introduced 15-minute instant delivery systems, continuing to compromise worker safety.
Workers said they were disappointed with the budget as no specific provisions were announced for gig and platform workers. They demanded the legal enforcement of minimum basic financial support.
Kawalpreet Kaur, a labour rights advocate helping the workers, said despite formal recognition of gig workers under the labour law, their legal rights to minimum wages and fair and decent working conditions remain largely unenforced. Implementation of laws regarding sexual harassment at the workplace has totally failed in the gig industry, Kaur alleged.
Women Workers’ Rights Violated
Shanaz Rafiq from the All India Trade Union Congress, a workers' union, stated that threatening women workers and preventing them from forming trade unions is a clear violation of their fundamental and constitutional rights. She said that women gig workers are only demanding their basic needs and safety, yet they remain unsafe even during the day, let alone at night.
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