Gig and platform workers to strike work on December 31

Gig and platform worker unions have announced a strike on Wednesday (December 31, 2025) against “systemic exclusion from core labour entitlements” of the workers in the segment. In a letter to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, they urged the Centre’s immediate intervention to stop “exploitation” of workers by platforms in the food delivery and taxi service sectors.

The Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU) said in the letter that a nationwide strike by delivery workers on December 25 underscored the severe implications for India’s growth if the issues of workers went unaddressed. “Gig workers continue to face systemic exclusion from core labour entitlements under Indian law and constitutional guarantees. Reports document pervasive harassment, discrimination, and violence against workers. This strike unites gig workers and allies to demand immediate government intervention,” the letter added.

In a demand charter submitted to the Minister, the GIPSWU said the ‘10-20-minute service delivery mandates’ should be urgently discontinued to prioritise worker safety.

“Fix minimum per-kilometer rates at ₹20 for Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Flipkart, and BigBasket workers; ensure workplace safety for women. Grant emergency leave and comprehensive maternity protection to women service workers, eliminate arbitrary ID blocking and punitive rating systems and guarantee minimum monthly earnings of ₹40,000,” the charter said.

It also included demands such as the halting of auto advance credit deductions and the capping of all deductions at 20%. The unions sought compensation for workers for customer-initiated cancellations and said workers should be excluded from performance metrics.

AI-based calls should be replaced with 24/7 human customer support, the unions urged.

“Legally recognise platform workers as ‘workers’ under labour laws, ceasing misclassification as ‘partners’,” the charter emphasised.

Shaik Salauddin, founder president, Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) said when delivery workers voiced their concerns, platform companies respond with ID blocking, threats, police intimidation, and algorithmic punishment. “This is nothing but modern-day exploitation,” he said. “The government must intervene immediately. Regulate platform companies, stop worker victimisation, and ensure fair wages, safety, and social protection. The gig economy cannot be built on the broken bodies and silenced voices of workers,” he said.