In a bid to address their concerns over the lack of organised labor laws, cab and autorickshaw drivers operating under app-based aggregators, as well as online food delivery agents, have united to stage a symbolic one-day strike scheduled for October 25. The strike action is aimed at drawing attention to what they perceive as inaction by the state government regarding their labour rights.
This strike is expected to disrupt services in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad areas.
Demand for fair labour laws
Keshav Kshirsagar, President of the Baghtoy Rickshawaala union, revealed that they have been in communication with various organizations regarding this strike. He emphasised that these workers, classified as gig workers, primarily operate in the unorganised sector. The central government has previously advocated for the implementation of appropriate labour laws and regulations for gig workers in every state. Rajasthan has already made strides in this direction for its workforce. However, Maharashtra, which boasts the highest number of such workers, has yet to establish any regulations, despite repeated requests and reminders.
In Maharashtra, approximately 18 lakh workers fall into this category, with 1.45 lakh located in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. Among these, around 80,000 are cab drivers, 40,000 are autorickshaw drivers, and 25,000 are employed by food delivery applications.
Kshirsagar underscored the demand for the formulation of these labour laws during the upcoming winter session and their prompt release for the benefit of the workers. Previous attempts to address this issue with the district administration yielded no concrete action, leading Kshirsagar to warn of further action if the state government continues to overlook their concerns.
