Proposed Gig Workers’ Strike May Affect New Year’s Eve Celebrations
Food delivery, grocery and quick-commerce services are likely to witness disruptions on December 31 as gig workers across several cities plan a coordinated strike to press for better wages, job security and safer working conditions
Platform Workers Prepare for Protest on One of the Busiest Days of the Year
I hear the gig workers and the platform workers who work for the popular delivery apps and the e‑commerce apps plan a strike, on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is usually a day with the demand for orders. The strike will affect the food deliveries, the grocery deliveries and the essential deliveries, during the peak evening hours. The workers say the strike is meant to point out the issues that the delivery partners face.
I have heard that many unions have called a strike, for the app workers in the cities like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata. Organisers say the payouts, per order are falling the fuel costs are rising and the working hours are unpredictable and the organisers say the earnings are unstable. Organisers also say there is no incentive structure and there is support when accidents or emergencies happen.
December 31 is a business day, for restaurants, liquor stores and quick‑commerce platforms. I think service disruptions could inconvenience customers who plan last minute purchases. I see businesses preparing for delays. Several businesses add stock in stores. Several businesses set up ways to deliver. I notice platforms offering short term incentives. Platforms offer short term incentives to get workers to keep working during the strike period.
Industry experts note that repeated protests reflect deeper structural challenges within the gig economy, where workers operate without formal employment benefits. Union leaders have reiterated their demand for fair minimum earnings, social security coverage and clearer policies governing penalties and incentives. They have also urged companies and policymakers to initiate dialogue to prevent future disruptions and ensure sustainable working conditions for platform-based workers.
