Gig Workers Announce Nationwide Protest On February 3 Over Wages, Forced Labour Claims

Delivery workers have announced nationwide protests on February 3 to demand minimum wages and to seek a ban on what they called 'forced labour' in the gig economy. In Mumbai, the workers will gather at Azad Maidan.

Key Financial Demands

The workers are seeking compensation for transportation costs, vehicle repairs, licensing expenses, waiting time, and other work-related factors. Other demands include a monthly basic minimum financial support for gig workers and a ban on companies’ practice of blocking workers. The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) said the union will submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister, listing the demands.

Economic Survey Cited

GIPSWU has quoted the recent Economic Survey Report released by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to highlight the problems faced by the workers. The union said that the survey exposes companies’ false claims that workers are receiving fair compensation.

Gig Workforce Growth

The workers said that the survey estimated that the number of gig workers across India has increased from 7.7 million to 12 million—a growth of 55%. Consequently, their share in the total workforce is set to rise from 2% to 6.7% by 2030, and they are expected to contribute Rs 2.35 lakh crore to the GDP.

Low Income Reality

GIPSWU pointed out that the survey revealed that more than 40% of gig workers earn less than Rs 15,000 per month. This statistic shows that the claim by the former chief executive officer of an e-commerce company that gig workers receive fair compensation for their work is false and misleading, the union said.

Forced Labour Allegation

"Approximately 4.8 million gig workers earning less than Rs 15,000 per month fall under forced labour. The government must immediately include gig workers under the Labour Code so that they receive legal recognition and their dignity is preserved. Furthermore, if the government fixes an hourly income, it must strictly follow the Supreme Court’s Reptakos judgment, as there is no better benchmark or guidance for determining minimum income," said Nirmal Gorana, national coordinator, GIPSWU.

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Study Backs Demands

The union released findings from a recent study of working conditions of platform workers by Janpahal, a not-for-profit, to support their demands. The study said that gig work in India is characterised by overlapping safety, health, and climate risks, while remaining largely outside the effective reach of labour and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) regulations. Janpahal stated that recognising platform work as work and extending occupational safety, health, and social security protections to gig workers is urgent, especially as the platform economy continues to expand and climate risks intensify.

Nationwide OSH Survey

Findings from the all-India research on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) of gig workers by Janpahal. The findings are based on a survey of 1,000 workers across 10 Indian cities.

Long Working Hours

Over 57% of workers reported working more than 49 hours per week, with nearly one-fourth working over 70 hours, indicating that platform work is largely full-time and long-term rather than flexible as claimed by companies.

High Accident Risk

62% of workers experienced near-miss road accidents, while 27% reported traffic accidents during work.

Harassment At Work

34% of workers experienced harassment or violence while working, with many others witnessing such incidents.

Insurance Gaps

44% of workers lack accident insurance and over 62% do not have health insurance, despite high exposure to occupational risks.

Lack Of Safety Training

Nearly 60% of workers received no safety training, and over 56% lacked confidence in platform safety reporting mechanisms.

Health And Stress Issues

Fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and mental stress were among the most commonly reported health issues, reflecting the physical and psychological toll of platform work.