Firms roll out extra perks to gig workers, keep deliveries rolling

Despite a nationwide strike by gig and platform workers on New Year’s Eve against “systemic exclusion from core labour entitlements”, Delhi-NCR remained largely unfazed on Wednesday as companies rolled out incentives to keep deliveries flowing.

“My company is offering ₹150 for each delivery. Who would not take such an offer?” said Sateesh Kaushik, who works for a food delivery app. He said that higher incentives offered on New Year’s eve — one of the year’s busiest days for food delivery and transport apps — to address potential supply-side issues, shows that companies can offer higher wages but choose not to.

Zomato, an online food delivery company, said it will coordinate with the local police to ensure the workers’ safety.

Several consumers said they received their online orders on time despite the strike. “I ordered a couple of items from a store online and did not face any difficulty in receiving them,” said Kartik Sharma, a resident of Safdarjung Enclave. Rachna, a college student staying at a PG in Satya Niketan, south Delhi, said her roommates ordered food online and received it on time.

“I support the gig workers’ strike and refrained from ordering anything online today. However, my roommates have been ordering food, and it was delivered on time,” she said.

Some social media users said they support gig workers but could see them on duty. “The strike seems to be just on social media. The workers are working and making the strike ineffective,” a user posted on X.

Some workers said that companies also “brought in third-party contractors to handle deliveries”.

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha expressed support for the workers and urged e-commerce companies to hold a dialogue with the protesters and find fair and humane solutions.

Business hit

Dyal Singh, who owns Singh’s Burgers in Tilak Nagar, south-west Delhi, said the strike affected his business, but he still supports workers’ rights.

“The strike is hurting my business, but I fully support them. They are raising their legitimate issues. Why shouldn’t we support them?” he asked.

‘Job fear’

Nirmal Gorona Agni, the national coordinator of a workers’ union– Gig and Platform Service Workers Union– said the companies used tactics like heavy incentives to make the strike ineffective.

“As the workers went on strike, the companies used tactics like heavy incentives to lure workers. Last time on December 25, when the gig workers went on strike, a company blocked IDs of over 160 employees. Many workers are so scared of losing jobs that they don’t even air their grievances,” said Mr. Agni.

Shami, a bueatician, said there are no fixed working hours in her company and 50% of her earnings go as platform fee and product costs.

“There is no security in case of accidents or misbehaviour from customers. While customers can make us wait for hours, we cannot even call them before the allotted time,” Ms. Shami said, adding that she can’t avail even loans from banks as she comes under ‘informal workers’.

Atif, another worker, said he met with an accident recently and received no support from his company.

“My company did not support me in any manner. I had to bear the expenses of my treatment out of my own pocket,” he said.