Gig and delivery workers across India have announced a nationwide strike on December 25 (Christmas Day) and December 31 (New Year’s Eve) to protest against low and declining wages, unsafe working conditions, job insecurity and the absence of social security benefits. The strike is expected to see participation from workers associated with major food delivery, quick commerce and e-commerce platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon and Flipkart.
The strike call has been given by several gig-worker unions and collectives, who claim that delivery partners are under increasing pressure due to reduced per-order payouts, unpredictable working hours, strict performance targets and frequent account suspensions. Workers also allege that ultra-fast delivery timelines compromise their safety on roads, especially during peak hours and adverse weather conditions.
Unions are demanding fair and transparent pay structures, safer working conditions, job security, and access to social security benefits such as health insurance, accident coverage and pensions. They have also urged governments to bring stronger regulations for app-based platforms and formally recognise gig workers’ rights.
As Christmas and New Year’s Eve are among the busiest days for online orders, the strike could significantly disrupt food, grocery and parcel deliveries in major cities and towns. Customers may face delays or limited service availability during these days if a large number of workers participate.
Platform companies have yet to make detailed public statements, while worker groups say the protest is aimed at drawing attention to long-pending issues affecting millions of gig workers across the country.