Gig workers joined India's broader labour unrest with strikes on Wednesday. Women from Urban Company and delivery riders for Zomato and Blinkit demanded fairer pay, an eight-hour workday, and basic facilities. The protests highlight growing discontent over the precarity of platform work.
On Wednesday, a small group of Urban Company workers joined ongoing strikes, demanding an eight-hour workday, weekly time off, and access to drinking water and toilets. Delivery workers in Noida and Greater Noida held their own strike simultaneously.
Platform workers argue that flexibility cannot compromise dignity and protections. Urban Company's February data showed active workers averaged Rs 28,322 monthly in the first nine months of FY26, with only the top 20% earning Rs 40,000-50,000. Eternal's Q3 FY25 shareholder letter reported Rs 27,726 average for Zomato and Blinkit delivery workers logging at least eight hours daily and 26 days monthly in 2024, excluding fuel costs.
Workers say such earnings require 10-14 hour shifts. Incentives depend on targets, with one cancellation disqualifying them. Blinkit worker Dilip said, "We live in continuous insecurity... The app is our boss. Who do we shout at."
Last year's Christmas and New Year's Eve strikes by Zomato and Swiggy workers were dismissed as "miscreants" by Eternal's then-CEO. Workers hope the current unrest will prompt policy fixes on wages and protections.
