Gig Workers Stage Nationwide Flash Strike, Demand Fair Wages and Social Security
App-based delivery workers across major cities protest declining pay, unsafe conditions, and lack of legal protection.
Gig and platform workers across several Indian cities held a coordinated nationwide flash strike on Thursday, demanding higher wages, safer working conditions, and a strong national policy to protect workers in the app-based economy.
The protest was called by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and saw participation from delivery partners associated with major food delivery and e-commerce platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart.
Work stoppages and demonstrations were reported from cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, reflecting growing dissatisfaction among India’s rapidly expanding gig workforce.
In Hyderabad, hundreds of delivery workers organised a two-wheeler rally along the Gachibowli–Kondapur stretch. Protesters raised slogans against falling pay rates and what they described as increasingly unsafe delivery expectations. In other cities, workers joined the strike by temporarily logging off from apps and holding small public gatherings.
Gig worker unions said that earnings have steadily declined over time, even as platforms demand longer working hours, enforce strict delivery timelines, and impose penalties through algorithm-based systems. Workers also complained of sudden ID deactivations, lack of transparency in job allocation, and the absence of job security or basic labour protections.
A major concern highlighted during the protest was the push for ultra-fast delivery models. Workers said these targets increase the risk of road accidents and mental stress, while companies avoid responsibility for worker safety. Many also pointed out that accident insurance, medical coverage, and compensation systems are either inadequate or difficult to access.
The unions placed several demands before the government, including fair and transparent wage structures, regulation of algorithm-based management, withdrawal of unsafe delivery targets, protection against arbitrary account deactivation, and a comprehensive social security framework covering health insurance, accident benefits, and pensions.
Labour organisations also urged the central and state governments to recognise gig workers as workers under labour laws, allow them to unionise, and ensure their right to collective bargaining.
Shaik Salauddin, a prominent leader of gig workers’ unions, said the protest aimed to highlight what he called “systemic exploitation disguised as flexibility,” adding that governments can no longer ignore the working conditions of platform-based workers.
Unions warned that similar protest actions may continue in the coming weeks if their demands are not addressed.
